The Grey Ninja
by Sylvia-Ann
Summary: In a mix of light and darkness, it's kind of difficult to trust your own element if it has been associated with everything to do with hate and evil in every fairy tale out there. But who says Ninjago has to fear the darkness any longer? Certainly, you cannot fear what is only made from light. **AU-y** Major Jay/Nya
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Guess who became obsessed with another show that was meant for children the ages of 7-11! :-)))! I swear to all the heavenly apples out there, Ninjago is ruining my life. I don't think people understand how ****_awfully weird_**** it is to starting crying, screaming, and gasping while watching the last episode of season three. I felt agonizing pain. ****_Physical _****pain. I won't say anything because I don't want to spoil anything for readers who haven't watched it (I actually just don't want to talk about it because I'm in-denial). **

**Anyway, this will have Ninja/OC because I'm insane and this is sort of AU but not really, idek. I'm kind of experimenting with this story so don't be surprised if the writing style randomly changes in the middle of paragraph three of chapter 478, mmmk? Okay, enough rambling! Let's start this story even though I have 14,000 other stories left unfinished because I can't stay on topic to save my life!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or additional settings from the TV show Ninjago. All OCs and anything else that Lego doesn't own is mine. (Which is virtually nothing)**

* * *

_"All shadows whisper of the sun. " _  
― _ Emanuel Carnevali_

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Chapter 1

Grey.

The Grey Ninja.

Grey is a very, very, dull color.

It was the cloudy sky that shadowed the earth. It was the area between light and dark; a place where confusion was conceived; the shady darkness that was not fully believed to be…well, dark, but nowhere near light. It was what made someone hold their tongue because it was the color of doubt. Are you right, but wrong to some degree? Does that still make you right, or fully wrong? Evil has a purpose: to keep this world going, so, in a rhetorical sense, it's good?

The Ninja of Shadows.

Shadows.

An absence caused by light.

The darkness of reality to follow in its footsteps; concealed and cursed to fall behind. Movement of the shadows indicated that mobility is still liable to this Earth. It was still there, though ignored. There isn't really any harm coming from any shadow, but it is not one-hundred percent clean, right? It is common knowledge to associate darkness with shadows because that is what they are, indeed.

You need light to cause darkness.

Otherwise the whole ying-yang thing will be completely imbalanced and the world will take a dramatic turn for the worst or something like that.

_Out of every color, it had to be grey, didn't it?_

Makes sense. Her life, no matter how interesting she tried to make it, was just one big paint glob of grey matter sliding ungracefully down the canvas. Even her ninja suit had made it a point to rub it in her face.

_Maybe it won't be so bad once this journey—Sensei Wu's words—had ended. If I'm a kunoichi, then I am good. I serve for light even if my element is literally the opposite of it. Seems legit. _

Who was she kidding?

She was a walking contradiction. She was a ticking bomb waiting for the epitome of her existence to just go off and obliterate everything in her path. Guess she's just going to half to deal with it like everything else in her life. The destruction of her world was bound to happen anytime from now.

Chelsea was the Ninja of Shadows.

It's pretty self-explanatory.

It was a bright, queer, evening. Even with it being five hours past midday, the sun had shined boldly in its place. The surroundings of the newly built, (a form of payment for saving the world), actually-on-the-ground, dojo were blossoming brightly, the sprinkle of fall's sugar sweetly touching the atmosphere. Brown, red, yellow, and specks of green decorated the trees and bushes as crimson flowers sat gently in their respective places. It was nice. The crisp breeze that blew over the peaceful land blanketed Ninjago with serenity. It was a truly beautiful day.

It had been one full month. In thirty-one days and thirty nights, Sensei Wu—she swore he was some kind of ancient magician—had turned her into someone her dreams couldn't even comprehend. A ninja. A butt-kicking, knife twirling, back-flipping, hot-shot ninja. Just before the beginning of April, Chelsea couldn't even do a proper cart wheel, she was in the worst shape possible, running for two minutes straight was just as possible as sprouting wings, and even the idea of wearing anything _remotely_ close to a leotard was out of the question.

Those thirty-one days were pure hell.

But, now, she'd have a valid reason to actually enter through the gates of heaven.

Sensei Wu should really start some type of exercise/diet program. It'll make the charts, no doubt.

Today was the day she was to meet the other ninjas. It was kind of nerve-racking, but she wasn't too worried about it. Ever since she had stepped foot into the stationary dojo, she had always known she was to team up with the others. Chelsea was told they were out on a random goose-chase, Sensei Wu had planned, to give them enough time to properly train in peace. Multiple times, the young woman had mentally bowed down to the old man. Training in front of skill-full ninjas, that were national heroes, in the state she was in, would've been utterly embarrassing.

Although she had her doubts on his choice of the Ninja of Shadows, Sensei Wu had managed to pull through and come out victorious in creating another protector of this Earth.

Heavy stuff, but she could deal.

Out, in the front, on the balcony, the old man and young woman had stood, waiting for the arrival of the others. Due to the slight—barely—chilly air, Chelsea had decided to dress in a burgundy top, with sleeves cutting off just before her elbows, tucked into black skinny-jeans that started at her waist. Plain black flats were on her feet. Her ebony, curly, hair had been styled down, two front pieces clipped back. Sensei Wu stood in his usually attire beside her, sipping a cup of tea.

Her hand attentively rubbed her forearm, brown skin nipped. Dark brown, almost black, eyes stared ahead calmly. Chelsea was honestly getting a bit tired from standing out here. "When do you think they'll get here," she asked.

If Sensei Wu was going to fully answer that question, he would've said he _hoped _the ninja would've discovered their month long hunt for the Golden Geese was just a hoax. But that seemed unprofessional.

"Patience," he gently soothed.

Chelsea gave him a knowing glance. A tiny smile spread across her full lips. She'd give it to him. He was pretty good at walking around the truth. Instead of saying anything of it, the kunoichi simply nodded, and patiently waited for something to happen.

Luckily, for both Wu and Chelsea, the Bounty had appeared in sight.

With an ungraceful thud, the large ship had landed not too far away from the entrance. From the impact, rough air had hit the two and clouds of dust from the ground shied around them. In no time, out jumped ninjas. One by one, they lunged off the deck of the Bounty and landed, toe-first—seemed like Sensei taught that to all his students—on the ground. Red, blue, black, white, and green, started to walk towards the two, some of them in groups of two. A female with jet black hair lastly jumped out of the bounty holding a map and ran up, catching up to a man dressed in blue. Sensei Wu lifted his head, revealing his eyes and wholly gazing towards his students. A gentle, welcoming, smile gifted his lips as he observed their expressions.

They didn't look too happy.

Once the group of six had reached the two standing in front, Wu had decided to start off before any questions could be asked.

"I take it you have finished your quest?"

Kai, amber eyes agonizingly trying to hold back the scorching anger in his chest, crossed his arms. "Yeah," he said curtly, holding up a slip of paper, "it was really fun," sarcasm lacing his words.

He threw the paper forward, quite forcefully, and it floated gently to the ground. It read: _'I'm glad you can follow directions_.'

Chelsea had to hold back a giggle.

Apparently, she should've held back the smile too because as soon as it spread across her face, the red ninja had casted a glare towards her. Chelsea narrowed her eyes back at him for a split second in total habit. She prayed he hadn't seen that, blinking twice trying to recoup. Averting her eyes to the floor, she resisted biting her lip. If she set this guy off, it was bound to be awkward sooner or later. From what Sensei had told her before, she'd have to be living with him. She couldn't already make one enemy.

Before Kai could say anything more, the black ninja, Cole, stepped up, green eyes open with confusion. "Sensei, what was the purpose of that? There must've been some reason behind it if you had to send us away for an entire month."

"Do you know what I could've done with Nya in an entire month!?" Jay piped up, throwing his hands, comically, in the air.

"I can just imagine," Lloyd muttered a bit too loudly earning him a slap on the back of his head. The 15-year-old yelped and rubbed his head in slight pain.

"People your age shouldn't have such dirty thoughts," Nya scolded.

"Sensei, who is this?" Zane asked, gesturing towards the woman next to the teacher.

Sensei Wu's smile grew. "Ah, yes, finally I have an answer that will answer all questions," he said. Straightening his back, the old man firmly gripped his staff, the tea he once had mysteriously gone. The bamboo stick leaned towards the kunoichi. "This, here, is the new addition to your team," he announced.

Immediately, eyes widened. Wide eyes and some open mouths were sent Chelsea's way. They looked at the dark-skinned woman who stood straight, hands behind her back. A light smile graced her expression as her almond shaped eyes smiled along with her lips.

"You mean she's a ninja, uncle?" Lloyd asked, clear astonishment in his voice.

"Yes, indeed, my boy." Wu turned to the woman who held the attention and nodded his head. "Introduce yourself, my dear."

Taking in one calm breath in, Chelsea did as she was told. Bravely looking into each set of eyes, she said just as Wu had told her say previously, "I'm Chelsea Millard and I am the Grey Ninja, Master of Shadows," she bowed, "It is an honor to stand before you and I hope I will be of use." Just to get her mind off her trembling fingers, she smiled brightly, pearly white teeth glistening in the sunlight.

After the ninja's introduction, it had gone quiet. The surrounding air felt a bit tense. There was definitely shock and confusion somewhere in there. Chelsea stood tall even though her stomach was twisting in knots. Silence screamed in her ears, deafening her but she still kept her head up. She always knew she wouldn't be accepted. By now, someone would've said something if she were. Her element was kind of dark, maybe that's why they're looking at her like that. Maybe she didn't look like the fighting type. She really had hoped they weren't too prejudiced towards her. Dark brown eyes darted over to Wu who just looked at his students with expectant gazes, confidence surrounding him.

No one was moving.

No was saying anything.

_Nope. I should've known they wouldn't accept me. There aren't really a lot of people that look like me that are freaking ninjas-_

"Finally! There's another girl around here," the girl with jet black hair exclaimed happily. She pushed her way up to Chelsea who looked at her with surprise. "I'm Nya!" she happily said, taking Chelsea's hand and shaking it. The Grey Ninja felt a smile of relief fill her face as she looked into welcoming verdant irises.

"Nice to meet you Nya!" she breathlessly laughed. Nya was shorter by many inches but had a lean built. Her pale skin contrasted beautifully with her dark short hair and vibrant green eyes and full pink lips. She was a beautiful woman.

"You wouldn't believe what it's like to be surrounded by boys 24/7," she groaned dramatically for effect, "It's a nightmare."

Jay stepped beside her, giving Nya a comically pointed look. "I believe the term you're looking for is men." He smirked as the samurai rolled her eyes. Pointing to Lloyd he said, "That kid over there is a boy."

"Hey!"

Chelsea shook her head, chuckling at the small banter. Jay, a boy with red hair, pale skin, and blue eyes charmingly smiled back, sticking out his hand. She took it and they both shook their hands pleasantly. "The name's Jay Walker. I invent, draw, dabble in a bit of poetry, and kick major buttock," he said proudly.

"All around type of guy, huh?" Chelsea raised a brow.

"Yeah right. The last time he drew something I couldn't tell whether or not it was a rose or a donkey," Nya snorted.

Jay's face turned red, his eyes widening in disbelief and embarrassment. He said her name in a whining tone and Nya only gave him a knowing smile and muttered, "Oh, you know I love you." Chelsea instantly knew that these two were a couple, or at least were heading towards that way.

She shipped it.

"Why don't we all go inside so we can all properly introduce ourselves to our new guest, yes?" Sensei Wu suggested, turning on his heel and walking inside the dojo. Without any objections, the group followed him in.

* * *

_**Lloyd**_

The building where the art of judo was practiced was quite a big place. There were two main rooms for training. Having a flat hardwood surface, no one would've ever guessed that underneath were obstacles ready for use. Shelves decorated the tall walls, and they were filled with many weapons of all kinds, the gleam from the shiny metal were robust from care. Right next to the two rooms was a fairly average sized kitchen, in the back, a living room, and down the hall from there, bedrooms.

The structure of the new building was much like the previous one before it burned down. It was kind of a combination of the bounty and the old dojo. To put it simply, it was a house with a training area attached to it. Grateful for what the civilians had done, the ninja had made it a priority to keep this place in good health and mainly use it when there wasn't a valid reason to travel aboard the flying ship.

Down in the living room, the group had made themselves comfortable, some sitting on the couch as others stood. It was a comfortable air. People talked with whom they wanted. After everyone had fully met the new guest, the group broke off into tiny groups. Some stayed around Chelsea to get to know her a bit more whiles the others did what they pleased.

Lloyd had taken a particular interest in the newcomer. He didn't really know what drew him to her, but she just seemed, to put it simply, cool. The blonde teen had take this chance to learn more about her. Chelsea was really tall for a girl. She was as tall as Kai and just three inches from Cole's height; four from Zane. She had slight British accent. At age nineteen, she had already obtained her associates degree, (which he guesses was good), and was working for her bachelor's degree in psychology. But, of course, that had to stop for obvious reasons and when the young boy had asked why she decided to become a ninja so suddenly, her answer made him all the more amazed.

It was simply because she wanted to become educated in the way of life by experience rather than from the credentials of a text book.

"Knowing the Pythagorean Theorem won't really teach you how to live a genuinely happy life," she said with a shrug. "Unless you're into that kind of stuff."

Her personality wasn't something you could describe with one word. She wasn't exactly shy, but she could be at times. For the most part, she was outgoing, but not to an extreme extent. Lloyd had observed that the older woman was more laid back, but not to the point where she was nonchalant about important things. When provoked though, she was a talker and got excited about certain topics, never taking a moment to hesitate on her thoughts. Her voice was deep but feminine. With many laughs, he also noticed Chelsea had a habit of making funny faces when she was stumped, disagreed with something, or thought of something that didn't make sense to her. She was sarcastic and liked the color purple a lot. She couldn't tell a joke without laughing for five minutes first, had a bit of an obsession with hedgehogs and was a _very _strong feminist.

He had learned all of that in a matter of ten minutes.

"I've never liked science," Chelsea proclaimed, shaking her head firmly.

Cole looked at her with raised brows with his hands on his knees as his legs were crossed, Indian style. Zane, sat across from him, his legs crossed the same way, hands politely in his lap. Chelsea, Lloyd, Zane, and Cole sat in a circle.

"But don't you need to take a lot of classes dealing with science for a psychology major?" the Black Ninja asked.

She threw her hands up, a look of comical irritation on her face. "Someone could've told me that." Cole and Lloyd laughed shortly while Zane's light sapphire irises shined with question.

"What do you have against science?" he asked politely.

"Well, this is a long story, not really, but in seventh grade, worst year ever, I had this teacher named Mrs. Dublin. I swear she hated me the first day she laid eyes on me. My confidence went from up here," she raised her hand high above her head, "to down, so low, I can't even see it anymore. She completely ruined science for me," she said, blatantly.

"She sounds like my fifth grade teacher," Lloyd shuddered.

One side of her lips pulled up in a half smile as a little laugh left her mouth. She shook her head. "But, I will admit, I liked school a lot. I like being able to learn material while observing how different people take it in. Everyone is taught the same material the same way, in the same class, but it's not all perceived the same way. I don't know, I think it's pretty cool to see that. Also, hearing about all the drama and how people deal with it was probably what made me wake up at seven in the morning every day. It was funny. Don't tell anyone I said that."

"Did you do anything outside of school?" asked Cole.

"Besides eating and sleeping, I did dance, played piano, and took, like two, archery lessons," she answered.

Instantly, Cole perked up, his eyes widening slightly in wonder. He smiled as he asked, "What type of dance?"

"Everything but tap and lyrical," she answered, "I hope you don't think I'm still good because I haven't danced in about five years. Gained twenty extra pounds of pure fat and lost it all because of Sensei Wu. When the guy says no sugar, he really means it, geez," she snorted.

"No sugar? What'd you eat for an entire month!" Lloyd exclaimed.

"Almost ate my own hands," Chelsea said seriously before her bottom lip quivered and she was forced to let a dumb chuckle through.

"You said you played piano?" Zane continued.

For however long, the group talked on about whatever came to their minds. It wasn't too soon until the outside world was dark, and the sun's top was barely above the mountains. Wu had announced it was time for dinner. Jay had gotten up and grudgingly walked into the kitchen. It was his turn to cook dinner. Once he had disappeared through the doors, Nya had stood up and said she was going to help him. She also disappeared into the doors.

While they waited, Wu had suggested that someone give Chelsea a proper tour of the house/dojo and everywhere around it considering she didn't really get to see anything because she was in constant training. Zane had offered and the two had went on their way. When they were out of earshot, Wu began conversation.

"What do you think of your new teammate?" he said, sipping tea.

Lloyd was the first to answer and he did it with genuine meaning. "I like her!"

"She's really down to earth," Cole added.

"Hey, she's not too girly so she's cool with me," Kai said.

Nodding his head, Sensei Wu took note of the optimistic compliments. "Excellent. Then I have no doubts she will fit right in. I have trained her as much as I could, privately. It is now up to time and experience to guide her on her journey. I hope that you will help her in advancing, and reaching her full potential?"

Bowing, the three ninja said with synchronicity, "Yes, sensei."

* * *

**_Cole _**

It was bright, the next morning. The light and airy scent of the morning filled his nostrils as the black ninja tiredly put on a pair of pants. A light breeze hit him through the open window. Cole, who had finished getting ready, sighing tiredly, rubbing his eyes once more before heading out the room. He had already woken up Kai, Jay, and Lloyd. Zane had been up already and went to wake up Nya. As he heard Kai walk off, grumbling about how it was too early to make breakfast, he went off to wake up Chelsea.

Once he had gotten to her door, he knocked lightly, calling out, "Chelsea?" He waited patiently for a response. "Chelsea, it's time to get up." When he didn't receive so much as a snore, Cole opened the door, praying he wouldn't get chewed out for unexpectedly coming in. His green eyes ran over the small room, finding the bed neat and clean with appliances scattered on the desk across it. He hummed in question. She wasn't here. Without another word, he closed the door and left to the dining room, looking to see if she was there already.

The Black Ninja had arrived to the table to see it set with breakfast already. Lloyd and Sensei Wu sat in their respective places waiting quietly for the rest. The blonde's head was on the table, eyes soaked with sleep. His uncle tapped his head with his staff and Lloyd sat straight up, looking around with wide eyes. Once he realized nothing was attacking, his eyes drooped and he put his chin in his hand, with a sigh.

Cole raised a dark brow in inquiry. Had Kai cooked all this already? There were eggs, toast, sausage, and fruits. Shrugging—too tired to think about it much—the team leader sat in his place. Soon enough, Jay, Nya, and Kai had taken a seat. Cole looked around for the last member but couldn't find her.

"Hey, Kai, how'd you cook all this so fast?" he asked.

The fiery ninja scratched his head before digging into his plate of eggs. "Chelsea was up before me and I guess she cooked. She thought it was her turn to cook so we agreed that I'll just cook tomorrow," he replied.

Speaking of her, Chelsea came out of the kitchen, curly hair in a messy bun. She hurriedly walked to her spot next to Nya and Lloyd. After greeting the group, she ate her own plate and indulged in a conversation with Nya. The two were getting along fairly well in such a short time. It was probably because they could relate to one another.

After breakfast, it was time for training. Today, Chelsea would have to demonstrate what she knew so far while the other ninja would critique her, providing helpful observations on what she could improve on. It was an evaluation they had to go through sometimes.

In comfortable pants and a t-shirt, the young woman had prepared to take action on the obstacle course. Chelsea bent her legs and then lunged forward. Cole watched as she jumped high in air, gracefully dodging each flat board of wood that came her way. She soon landed on her feet, and ran forward, kicking and punching her way through the course. He noticed she was very light on her feet, always on the balls of them. Out of habit, his body subtly jerked forward as the back of her leg was hit by a wooden stick. Chelsea winced but moved on. She was a very graceful fighter. Her feet were almost always pointed when she was in the air. Even if she hadn't danced for five years, it was easy for the Earth Ninja to recognize she was a dancer. Most times she was in the air, there was always some type of flip and she almost looked as if she was gliding. Her body moved like smoke, silently and lightly. With a slick back bend kick-over, Chelsea finished the course, panting.

Turning her slightly sweaty body towards their teacher, Chelsea bowed respectfully. Cole's verdant eyes looked to sensei who nodded in recognition at her. Chelsea then turned her body to the five other ninja, waiting for their critiques. Catching her eyes, Cole gave her a small smile of support, silently telling her that she did a good job.

"Students?" Wu lead on.

First to give their say was Zane. "You need to be mindful of your surroundings. It seems that all your focus is on what is ahead. There needs to be some awareness of your environment in case an enemy attacks unexpectedly. Overall though, you have fantastic balance and agility," the White Ninja commented with a charismatic smile.

"Thank you," Chelsea replied with a smile of her own. If Zane wasn't such a gentleman, Cole thought it would've been impossible to say that without sounding rude.

Next was Jay. "Yeah, you have really good flexibility. Use that to your advantage. I see that you dodge more than you hit, so try and combined your speed and flexibility to confuse your opponent so attacking will catch them off guard. Good job though," the Blue Ninja gave a thumbs up.

Chelsea gave a short chuckle and nodded, muttering her gratitude.

Kai crossed his arms in a thoughtful way. "When you go in and attack, don't be afraid to hit with full force. Your opponent is bound to attack with no restraints, so you shouldn't either. I would say using your legs would benefit you more than your arms. From how high you jump, you'll deliver a stronger blow with your legs."

She nodded gratefully.

Skipping over Lloyd, because he was also still training at a lower level, it was Cole's turn. He found coffee colored eyes gazing at him expectantly and open to any kind of critique he had. The Black Ninja scratched the tan skin on his forearm. "The thing that stuck out to me the most was that you're always on the balls of your feet. Although that is good for quick movement, when you're going in on an attack, having your feet flat on the ground helps with the deliverance power. Staying grounded will definitely help you in also directing the attack. Other than that, you did a great job. I'm impressed," he said and it was true. Not that he was saying anything bad, but he was expecting the new ninja to have fumbled quite a bit. She was a beginner, only having been in training for a month. She must be a quick learner.

"Thank you," Chelsea said. A small breath of relief fell past her lips. "Jeez, I was terrified for nothing. You guys are way nicer than you look," she sighed. When she realized what she just said, she covered her mouth. "I didn't mean to say that," she muttered quickly, bashfully smiling.

Cole heard the others give a little chuckle, as did he. It had been less than twenty-four hours and he was already noticing this woman's filter was disappearing by the second. Standing up straight as sensei moved forward, Cole couldn't help but find his eyes lingering on the new comer. He had to admit, she was very pretty. Her skin, a color he could only compare to chocolate, was flawless and her jet black hair and thick shaped brows framed her face beautifully. She had a button nose and full dark lips. Cole decided that her eyes were the things that caught the most attention. Uniquely almond shaped, they always seemed to be smiling. They were very beautiful.

"Excellent. Now comes your suit. Ninja-GO!" Sensei Wu shouted and he was suddenly a tornado of gold and silver. He spun past Chelsea and she yelped in surprise. Wu stopped spinning abruptly, sparks fading into the dust behind him. When the dark-skinned woman had stopped spinning herself, she looked down at her kunoichi suit with disbelief.

Cole would be lying if he said his eyes didn't get big.

He would be a dirty liar.

Chelsea was now dressed in a light grey body suit, leaving her thighs exposed. From the top of her breast, down, was the cloth material, a white strap wrapped around her mid-section. Covering the top of her back, chest and her arms, attached to wear the heavier material ended, white lace covered her skin. The rough material ended at her wrists, thicker swirls of white sprouting from the ends. At the very top of the main suit was gentle, wind-motion, designs colored white. Grey boots, which ended right under knees, covered her feet. White strips were at the top of the boot. Her hair had changed too. It was wavy. It wasn't up anymore. Instead, it lied around her shoulders, big and shiny. It was like a mane. A white head band, made out of some type of metal, sat on her head.

"Get a load of that," Kai whispered to the gaping ninja.

Cole felt his face heat up when Jay pushed his chin up, closing his mouth.

"Y-you want me to fight in this? Are sure this isn't some Victoria Secret fashion show!?" Chelsea exclaimed, obviously embarrassed. Her wide eyes looked over to the group of ninja. She saw they were staring and she made an embarrassed sound wrapping her arms around herself. The ninja only blinked.

Sensei Wu completely ignored her comments. He held out an archery set. It was a metal bow and arrows with a color scheme of black and shiny silver. "These will be your weapons. I trust you know how to use them?"

Nodding silently, lips in a weary line, Chelsea took a hold of the weapons. She squeezed her legs together, feeling the weight of the other ninjas' eyes on her. Cole could've sworn he saw her cheeks lighten, but he couldn't be sure. He was too distracted.

"It'll take some time, but I-I think I'll get the hang of it," she stuttered.

"Good," Wu nodded. "Now, I want all of you to continue to train with Chelsea. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sensei," they replied, bowing.

Without another word, the old man left leaving unbearable tension in the air. Looking back at Chelsea, the Ninja of Earth saw her eye twitch as her fingers trembled. She looked down at the bow and arrows in her hands before sighing dully and wrapping the container of arrows around her shoulders. It must've taken a lot to look them in the eye, but she did.

"Uh," she cleared her throat, "L-let's start, I guess."

It took a second before the five actually moved from their spots. Cole had to force himself to look to the ground as her back turned towards him. _Don't look. That's not polite. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look._ He saw Zane elbow Kai in the ribs after whispering, "Look at that butt," in his ear. The Black Ninja glared at the fiery man.

"I guess we'll start on my aim," Chelsea sighed.

* * *

**A/N: Cue the groans.**

**Yeah, the OC right now is making me cringe because of how Mary-Sue she's looking so far, but I promise you, it'll change. I need to set the story up so I can end it with a successful bang! In truth, I've been planning out this story for the last month and I've got the main plot down more so than any of my other stories. I actually have other chapters already written (of course they may change) for the future because I had it in my head and my finger were just itching to type. Truth be told, everything I've written in the past has been on the spot that's why they're so bad XD! But, that's the beauty of writing unprofessionally. You can write the worst story ever and there will still be people who love it just because you tried. And you'll only get better from there so...**

**On a side note, I cant wait till Chelsea's outfit backfires on her. That ninja suit isn't very...ninja-material. It's very dangerous and leaves her open.**

**Awesome. **

**I probably seem so sick right now, but whatever!**

**I'm hoping you guys will stick through this with me! Hope you enjoyed it so far!**

**Thank you. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter set and ready to go!**

**Update: I just reviewed and edited this chapter and the last one. They should be fine now but if there are still errors in the text, please do not hesitate to tell me :)**

**Disclaimer: All Ninjago characters belong to Lego and all OCs belong to me.**

* * *

_"__The greater the power, the greater the abuse."  
—Edmund Bruke _

* * *

Chapter 2

**_Zane _**

There was something off. Zane couldn't really describe it in words, no matter how hard he tried, but something in the back of his head told him that there was something that had been…misplaced(?). The surroundings of the dojo were quite peaceful. There wasn't usually any ruckus caused by the townspeople. So silence wasn't an unusual thing.

But it was almost too quiet.

While touring with the new ninja, Zane had made sure to keep close by her because as they walked along the forest entrance, just outside the town, a shiver ran through his metallic spine. Buzzers went off in his head. Each time the wind rustled the leaves of bushes and branches, admittedly, the Ice Ninja found his heart beat spiking in worry. His light sapphire orbs scanned the forest as he walked, absent-mindedly answering any questions Chelsea had. There was just something peculiar about how the darkness of the forest had made itself so known to those looking into it. The trees looked the same, and so did the plants that lied along the floor. It was just that as the forest stretched on, this oddness swept over him. A forest wasn't supposed to look so…dark.

"Zane, is everything alright?" the dark-skinned woman asked, slowing to a stop.

Said ninja paused. His eyes narrowed suddenly as something had caught his eye. There was something in the forest and it didn't look like it was supposed to be there. Zane grabbed the woman's hand, earning a yelp of confusion, and hurried into the greenery. His head spun this way and that, searching for the thing that had caused a speck of light to hit his eye.

"Is there anything I can do to help you find whatever you're looking for?" Chelsea asked, slightly worried.

Reminding himself of his etiquette, the nindroid straightened up and looked to the newcomer. Zane gazed into brown eyes, giving them a calm and reassuring look. Instantly, it seemed to calm her down a bit as she gave him a small smile to him in return. "Forgive me. Do not worry. It's just that something here has caught my eye. Something glittery," he said, peering around. Chelsea nodded in understanding and began looking for something that would cause the serious ninja to look for so suddenly.

It had been about five minutes before Zane heard his name come out of Chelsea's mouth. Quickly, he got to her and his eyes widened considerably. In her hands was a grey gem, glimmering spectacularly. Chelsea gingerly gave it to the Ice Ninja. Zane took it in his hands, holding it delicately. Immediately, his mind began to race. It was just too coincidental. First, the Grey Ninja appears—so suddenly—and then this grey emerald appears out of nowhere. Things like that don't just happen. Something was up and Zane's sixth sense was hitting him on the head with a baseball bat. Looking to Chelsea, his eyes took in her awe.

Zane didn't want to think this. He didn't want to feel like her arrival had brought trouble but what were the chances of this happening? Before he went straight to questioning her, he thought for a bit. He had been with her the entire time and hadn't felt a thing. There wasn't any type of eeriness coming from the kunoichi. In fact, around her presence, he felt this sort of peace and tranquility. The first time he laid eyes on her, he felt himself trying to hold back a smile. Her eyes were always smiling and that, for some odd reason, made him want to smile too. He didn't really understand it, but the one thing he got from her was that she was good. Chelsea hadn't given him any reason to feel uncomfortable or weary. Sensei Wu had even been alone with her for an entire month. Surely, if she was planning anything, Chelsea would've done something by now to sabotage the ninja. It wasn't fair for him to start accusing someone like her of something so brash. Zane mentally nodded, making the decision to ask Sensei Wu about this, privately.

"What is an emerald doing here?" Chelsea whispered. She then looked at the side of the White Ninja's face. "What do you think it's for?"

Narrowing his eyes for close inspection, Zane answered, "That, I am not sure of. But I will talk to sensei about it."

Suddenly, the jewel glowed and Zane and Chelsea gasped. In his hands, the Ninja of Ice felt his body go warm. The brightness and sudden warmth of the light captured both ninja's eyes. It was indescribable, the light. It was like this heavenly aura had suddenly surrounded them, blanketing them in comforting hope. Then, as sudden as it came, it had gone and had dimmed down to an ordinary jewel. Recollecting himself from the odd event, Zane turned his head to see if his partner was okay.

He felt his heart(?) begin to race.

Chelsea leaned forward, her face very near the gem, eyes wide in wonder. Her lips were parted slightly, a small, "Woah," coming from them. Zane didn't know when he started noticing it, but she was very beautiful. Her eyes had captivated him even more. There were dark brown, almost black. At first, he paid no attention to their color. They were about as ordinary as any others, but with a closer look, he was mesmerized. He felt as if he had fallen in an endless abyss. In all of his seventy-five years of life, Zane had never felt his cheeks heat up like this. Chelsea was just so close and her scent of cinnamon and sugar was just so intoxicating. He had this sudden urge to kiss her.

"You are a very beautiful woman," he found himself saying as his eyes were in a daze. Zane got closer and held her chin gently in his hand. "So very beautiful, angelic, and…and…"

Chelsea looked at him, confused. She raised a skeptical brow, her eyes flickering between the dazed nindroid and the gem. Without a moment's notice, she took the gem away from Zane. The ninja blinked rapidly, his dazed gaze abruptly disappearing. A rush of emotions bled through Zane as he held his head, with one hand, wincing slightly. He blinked with confusion, clearing the glossiness from his eyes away.

"I don't know why, but I 'm pretty sure this gem affects emotions, because you were suddenly in love with me," the Grey Ninja concluded as she peered at the gem, wondering if the same thing would happen to her if she held onto it too long. Not wanting to take the chance, she set it on the ground for now.

Taking a couple seconds to run through what had just happened, and calm the flood of emotions racing through his mechanical body, Zane let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. Warm embarrassment swamped his neck causing his hard drive to heat up at the realization of what had almost transpired. "M-my apologies for what I did." This really uncomfortable, foreign, emotion made him look away, unable to face the woman.

Chelsea shook her head, her brows furrowing together, and a reassuring smile on her lips. "No, Zane. Don't apologize. It's not your fault," she bolstered. Standing up, she held out the gem back to the Ice Ninja. "Why don't you put it away somewhere? Maybe if you only hold it in your hand, it does that weird thing," she suggested.

Still a bit flustered, Zane could only nod and accept the gem. In fascination and disbelief, Chelsea watched as he suddenly opened up his gi, exposing his chest and just _opened_ his torso up to reveal wires and switches. The nindroid tucked the gem in a safe place where it wouldn't interfere with any of his wiring before closing the compartment and tying up the top of his gi again. Zane looked up to see dark brown eyes dramatically wide. A sudden realization hit the White Ninja and he smiled calmly.

"Pardon me, I forgot to tell you. I am a nindroid."

* * *

**_Nya_**

She could not believe what she was hearing.

She just couldn't.

"What do you mean, you don't want to be a ninja anymore!?" Nya exclaimed, her hands firmly on her hips.

Her green eyes glared down at the new ninja who crossed her arms decisively, her dark brows furrowed with defiance, eyes closed.

"I quit. I resign. I'm not doing it anymore. I'd rather do four hours of homework every night for the rest of my life," Chelsea huffed, stubbornly.

Nya had to stop herself from going up to the Grey Ninja and shaking her so hard, her head would fall off. After her first hours of training, the kunoichi had stomped into her room, heated with fury. Without a chance to ask what was wrong, the Shadow Ninja started to profusely complain about how she hated the entire male population and how her ninja suit had already caused "a debacle between her and the team". Finding a chance to calm her down, Nya had asked to see her suit and, well, she could see how it had set off the young woman. She too had even joined into the ramble about how women were seen as weak, defenseless, and had always been a sex object in the past. It wasn't until Chelsea declared she wasn't going to be a part of the team that Nya's eyes widened.

That could not happen. Not only would it be bad for Ninjago, but Chelsea was able to join in on the fun without needing an excuse to. She didn't need to wait until desperate times called for desperate measures to aid the ninja. Although Nya was a samurai, she wasn't a ninja and they had said it was "too dangerous" for her, simply because she was a girl. Nya would kill to be in her position. And Chelsea wanted to quit because there were too many eyes? Ha! Over her dead body!

"I hope you're joking, Chelsea," she scolded.

The dark-skinned woman sighed heavily. "I mean, I'm not really going to quit…" she muttered and Nya breathed out a sigh of relief, "But your brother needs to learn how whisper!" she exclaimed angrily.

Mumbling something in Japanese, Nya shook her head only imagining what her slick-tongued-brother could've said. She would agree that Kai didn't really know when not to say something, but she had learned it was one of the annoying traits he would probably never grow out of.

"Ignore him. He doesn't even know the difference between red and burgundy," she chuckled plopping down on her bed.

Chelsea sat down in front of her, on the floor, Indian Style. She gave a small snort, smiling a little at the comment. With her chin in her hand, the kunoichi played with the end of her black jeans, back in her casual wear. "Just to let you know, Jay was one of the ones that didn't make me uncomfortable. He didn't stare or anything," a frolicsome smile crept on her lips, "Completely disinterested."

Without even knowing she was holding in a breath, Nya sighed in relief. She smiled up at the ceiling. Warmness spread throughout her chest and she mentally thanked God. "Proud of him," she mumbled. The kunoichi suit was very provocative.

"So are you and him a thing?"

At the sudden question, Nya felt herself blush, her pale cheeks painted red. The samurai sat up, playing with her fingers nervously, a sheepish smile on her cherry lips. At this point, yeah, she thought they were but they hadn't really made it…official. After learning that Cole hadn't really liked her like that, only challenged Jay because he was always shoving things in his face, things between the Blue Ninja and samurai had become somewhat more certain then they were before. They both knew their feelings for each other were pure and definite. But they hadn't acted on it, yet; meaning, they hadn't even kissed yet.

Answering to the best of her abilities, Nya said, "Well, I don't know."

Chelsea raised a brow. "What do you mean you don't know? You two seem like a really good couple to me."

The comment had made Nya's heart flutter for some reason. "I mean, it's obvious that we both have really strong feelings for each other, but he hasn't made it official," she replied with a bit of sadness. The fact that Jay hadn't asked her to be with him had been on her mind for quite a bit. In fact, it was starting to get to her. She couldn't understand why he was waiting so long to ask the question.

"You mean, he hasn't asked you out yet?" Chelsea asked disbelief.

Nya fell back with a moan of frustration. "Nope," she popped the p.

"Maybe he's just scared that your feelings for him aren't as definite as his," the Grey Ninja proposed.

_Then he's really stupid._ Nya sighed heavily. She honestly hated thinking about why he hadn't yet said anything to her. It just couldn't be that he doubted her feelings for him. The dark-haired girl had been so obvious that she liked him back. She knew boys didn't really get hints, but someone would have to be a bigger idiot than the Skeleton army in order to not catch on.

"I really hope that's not the case," she groaned.

Suddenly, there were beeping sounds coming from her computerized watch. Nya sat up, tapping the device. On it read: _'Ninjago City is under attack'_. Immediately, she got up saying to the other, "There seems to be trouble in Ninjago City. We have to go get the others."

Nodding, Chelsea and Nya ran out of the room and to the control room.

* * *

**_Kai _**

There seemed to have been ruckus going on in the large city of Ninjago. The newly built city (still advanced but not the same as it previously was) had been quite peaceful for the last two months. Of course, there was the usual crime going on, but it was so minor that the ninja had let the city officers handle them for the time being, only intervening if the situation was dire enough. Kai would admit that he had been a bit bored for the past two months but he had taken the time to train and get better, preparing for any other-worldly dude that had decided he wanted to take over Ninjago.

When Nya had called them to the control (security) room, they had discovered that there had been a mysterious group of—they looked like—soldiers terrorizing innocent civilians. The police had tried everything they could but they reported that the attackers were fast and vicious. Having no other options—and they were bored out of their minds—the ninja had readily gone to solve the problem.

They had gotten to the heart of the city and the group of ninja saw that, so far, nothing had seemed out the ordinary. It wasn't until a shrill scream pierced through the air that they reached for the weapons, preparing themselves. The group of six ran towards the source of the scream. They stopped and looked up to see a middle aged woman was being dangled from a four story building by a black figure. Gasping, and watching in horror, the figure dropped the woman and she fell mercilessly through the night air.

Acting fast, Kai heard Zane demanding Cole to throw him and once the muscular man did, he watched as the Ice Ninja skillfully jumped and climbed towards the falling woman, eventually catching her in his arms and gracefully landing on the ground. Whiles he comforted the trembling citizen, a wicked laugh echoed through the air and the dark figure disappeared off the building. More screams of terrorization caught the ninja's attention and they saw people run for their lives, away from the many black figures that marched together, splitting into groups.

"We need to split into groups," Cole shouted firmly. Kai saw his forehead crease the way it usually did when his 'Team Leader Mode' was switched on. "Zane and Jay, I want you guys to take the higher levels; Kai and I will take on the south side of the town while Lloyd and Chelsea will take the north. Meet back here when you feel like you've cleaned them out. Now, we don't know what these things are, so be prepared for anything. And stick together at all times! Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" they responded quickly and raced onwards.

Kai ran beside Cole, racing towards the nearest attack. They didn't need to run for too long. They reached four of those black things kicking and punching a screaming young teenage girl.

"Hey, didn't your parents ever tell you, you shouldn't hit a girl?" Kai growled before lunging forwards. The fiery ninja took out his sword, striking three of the mysterious troublemakers back off the girl. Cole quickly retrieved the girl, pulling her away from the scene.

The black figures recovered promptly and stood in battle stances, growling ferociously. Kai observed his opponents with a hard analytical glare. These things weren't human, that's for sure. They looked like something that had been derived directly from the Underworld. In all black, their classic armor radiated (black) pure evil, a sickening atmosphere surrounding them. Their hands (claws), feet (more claws) and, he was sure, all of their skin was black. All that could be seen from the inside of the ebony helmet were glowing blood red piercing eyes with no pupils and dangerously sharp canines gleaming in the moonlight.

Correction, they looked like something straight from hell.

Unadulterated sin.

Kai tensed his muscles, waiting for one of them to make the first move. Cole had appeared by his side soon and he looked in disgust at their opponents. "Yuck! Who told you guys you were pretty enough to crawl out of the hell hole you came out from?" he bantered.

This seemed to trigger something because the three armored figures lunged towards them, snarling like rabid dogs. Kai stepped back as a dark metal sword, that had a black glow radiating it, made contacted with his. He grunted as the figure pressed forward with impressive strength. Finding his center, Kai shoved back forcefully, having enough time to jump back. He then charged forward, a battle cry tearing from his lips. The two began to duel, their swords clinking in unison. The dark opponent swung it's sword for the Red Ninja's head causing Kai to duck, but then it jumped up, kicking his head. Kai yelped in pain as he was kicked several feet to the right. Recovering, he shook his head and held his sword out in front of him just in time for the dark figure's own weapon to make contact. Kai kicked his feet out, making it fly back and brutally into a stone wall. Running towards it, he didn't give the evil figure enough time to recover. He delivered an uppercut, jumping up to land a tornado kick on it. The thing grunted painfully as it was helplessly thrown into another wall, cracking it. Kai then drew his sword up and dug it into it. The black figure gave a final growl before going limp. Taking out his sword from its stomach, Kai looked in horror and disgust as dark black liquid stained his sword, droplets running off the tip, slimily. Then, all of sudden, the alien blood began to evaporate right off his weapon before his eyes. With stupor, his amber eyes stared down at the dead corpse to see it begin to evaporate also, leaving nothing behind. Kai stumbled back in repugnance.

Just what were these things?

Before he could think about it even more, he fell forward as a body, which felt like rock, knocked into him. Kai opened his eyes, shaking away the dizziness in his eyes and looked to see Cole groaning, holding his head. The two ninja steadily rose to their feet.

"Those things are tough," Cole grunted.

"You have to actually kill it if you want it gone. But their bodies disappear afterwards," Kai told him.

The Earth Ninja furrowed his thick brows in confusion. "What do you mean, it disappears?"

Cole didn't get a chance to hear an answer because the remaining two charged at them, dark swords held high, a ferocious snarl pulling their ebony lips back. One of them jumped on Cole, making the Black Ninja land on his back. It tried to stab its sword into his forehead but Cole used his scythe to hold it back. He then kicked the black solider off him. Kai had knocked the sword out of the other one's hands and delivered several punches to its face before being thrown off of him by the one that had attacked Cole. His body made contact with a building, and he slid down to the groan, his vision blurry, and his head pounding ruthlessly. His sword had been thrown carelessly to the side. The brunette saw the two figures stand over him, their swords high above their heads. His body wouldn't respond to his commands as it stung all over. Squeezing his eyes shut, Kai waited for the pain but he gasped when he heard Cole's voice.

"Not so fast," the Black Ninja shouted.

Cole swung his scythe, cutting the two figures in half in one clean swipe. Their midnight blood splattered out, hitting Kai in the face and splattering onto Cole's arms. The top half of the bodies ungracefully fell to the side as the bottom half fell forward with an awkward thud. Kai reached up and grabbed the hand offered to him. Both faces were screwed up in disgust at the dirty blood on their bodies. But, just as Kai predicted, it started to evaporate off of them, and so did the carcasses. He smirked in triumph as Cole watched in profuse disbelief.

"Told you," he commented.

Cole could only watch as the black blood completely disappeared off his arms and into the night air. "What the hell," he breathlessly said.

"My thoughts exactly," Kai shuddered. "Come on," he patted the tan man's back, "We can figure out what they are later. For now, we need to make sure no one's killed because they mean business."

Cole nodded in agreement and Kai grabbed his sword. Then the two ran off.

* * *

**_Jay_**

This was like a real life horror movie.

Whatever they were up against wasn't like anything like before. These creatures that were terrorizing the city were causing real life-or-death havoc. Already, Jay had saved ten people from having their heads cut off or from being flung off random buildings. These evil things, that looked like the sink's drain after Cole shaved, were barbaric. That wasn't even the worst part. The most horrific part was the blood.

They weren't human, that's for sure, but Jay wasn't used to killing anything with any sort of blood. Sure, he had banged up some people—for the act of good of course—but he'd never purposely _killed_ something before. But in this situation, he had to. The Blue Ninja was forced to knock some sort of body part off the evil figures before it actually died. And the most sickening part of it was that their blood was about as black as the night sky.

At last it evaporated away. It was really weird (in a cool kind of way) but it was better than having to deal with it staining his ninja suit.

Jay and Zane flipped over to get to another building. Once they landed, they continued to jump from roof to roof, looking out for any other perpetrators.

"Over there!" Zane exclaimed, pointing to a window where two of those mysterious figures were scavenging through a room.

The ninja hurriedly lunged into the window, breaking through the glass. The two opponents seemed to ignore them, as they continued to flip over couches, tables, and other appliances in the, luckily, vacant apartment. Jay raised his scared brow in confusion. They appeared to be looking for something. He would've asked what they were looking for but he had learned previously that all they could do was make gurgling noises. So instead, he asked the nindroid who held out his shruikens, ready to attack. He would probably know. It's Zane; he knows, like, everything.

"Hey, what do you think they're looking for?" he whispered-shouted, his hand covering his lips from the side.

The Ice Ninja flung his weapons at the ebony enemies, sticking into the back of their heads. They fell back, unceremoniously, black blood oozing from their heads. Jay followed Zane as he watched him, with repulsive dark blue eyes, rip the shruikens out of their skulls. They observed, silently, as the blood began to evaporate from it, and the bodies along with it.

Jay would never get used it.

"I have a slight idea, but I am not completely sure. It is best we ask sensei after this," Zane answered finally, his voice stoic as usual.

The Lightning Ninja nodded, gulping down the large lump in his throat. The two then jumped out the window and climbed, on the balconies, to the top.

* * *

**_Lloyd _**

There was more to the list of things-he-remembered-about-Chelsea.

She was extremely protective of him; meaning that each time they went up against those black things, she would always remind him to stay close to her and literally scream his name each time he got hit.

To be honest, yeah, he found it annoying, but it felt oddly nice.

She was also a bit hesitant when attacking with her own hands. He couldn't tell if she was really afraid of the black soldiers or she was just second guessing herself. Either way, Lloyd couldn't pin it against her so harshly. This was her first real battle and it just so happened to be against these ruthless monsters. Go figure. The woman was probably terrified out of her wits. That wasn't saying that Lloyd, himself, wasn't a bit frightened, but after going up against the things he went through in the past, he had learned to let the fear push him through the battles.

Behind them, one of those black figures screeched, lifting up a cab and throwing it towards the duo. Luckily the civilians—hopefully all of them—had escaped underground, to the evacuation holding rooms so no one had been around except for the mysterious figures. Lloyd immediately stomped the ground causing a large rock out of the street, hitting the yellow vehicle away. Chelsea then took out an arrow, prepping it, before launching the arrow into its stomach. It dropped dead, and began evaporating into the sky.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," the new ninja commented, swallowing her spit.

"Me neither," Lloyd agreed, staring in bewilderment.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lloyd saw one of them jump out from nowhere, barring it's terrifying teeth at them in a nasty growl. "Chelsea, two o'clock!" he exclaimed and the kunoichi instantaneously aimed at the monster, shooting at it. The shiny arrow hit its arm, digging through the—surprisingly—leathery armor. It screamed out in pain, falling to the ground a few feet from them. Again, the Green Ninja stomped the ground driving a sharp, cone shaped, spear made of the stone through it, killing it.

Out of nowhere, one of the black monsters jumped onto Chelsea. She screamed out in surprise as it snarled in her face. Lloyd yelled out her name, running over to help her but then found one of them striking its sword down on him. The young teen dodged the weapon. He ducked down, kicking the solider off its feet giving him enough time to run towards his partner. Lloyd saw the Grey Ninja growl loudly in pain as the figure dug its claws into her arms, drawing blood. She somehow got an arm free and then proceeded to elbow its face, twice, before knocking it off her. Lloyd cringed as she struggled to get up, her arms baring tiny holes, spilling with blood.

Just as he was about to go and help her, he was kicked in the back. Lloyd went hurdling, flying face first into the cold hard ground. Nasty scraped decorated his peach face and he grunted, tasting the blood in his mouth. He rolled on his back, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, the same monster came upon him, holding a dark sword above its head. It struck the sword down and Lloyd moved his head just in time to avoid grazing his delicate flesh. He kicked off his opponent, allowing him to jump up to his feet. Charging, towards him, he let out a battle cry and let his hands light aflame with fire. He delivered a blow on its cheek and then round-house kicked the sword out of its hand. The weapon landed with a clank, and Lloyd took advantage of its shock. his hand burst into flames. He punched straight through its stomach, burning a hole. He retracted his hand as the thing fell to the floor. The blood evaporated in seconds.

A shrill scream pierced the air and Lloyd's green eyes widened in fear. When he didn't see Chelsea anywhere in sight, his heart thumped painfully against his ribcage. They couldn't be separated. He needed to find her, now! Running towards the source, he prayed, begging to God, that scream wasn't hers.

Turning right at an intersection, to the Green Ninja's relief, he found Chelsea hovering over the dead body of a soldier, holding one of its own swords into its head. Right before his eyes, the weapon disintegrated and so did the body. The dark-skinned woman fell down to her knees. Lloyd ran to her, falling on his knees beside her and placing a hand on her back.

"Are you alright?" he asked, watching the dark liquid evaporate off her face.

Chelsea nodded painfully, but she gave him a reassuring smile. "Just dandy," she strained through her teeth. She then took her hand off her arm to see it drenched in blood. Cringing, she stared at the ripped material lace covering her arm that had turned from pure white to a sick crimson color. She shook her head and steadily rose up with the help of the blonde teen.

"I won't be able to use my bow," she said nodding to the bow strapped to her back, "because my arms hurt and I've ran out of arrows, but I can still use their own weapons against them."

Lloyd nodded, making sure she could stand on her own. Chelsea gave a grateful smile but then frowned noticing the scratches on his face. It was as if the wounds on her arms had disappeared. She placed her hands on his cheeks, inspecting the wounds. "Are you alright?" she asked with a worried tone.

Feeling a bit babied, Lloyd felt his face heat up. Not having the heart to push her away, he looked to the side, annoyed. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. I've been through worse."

Chelsea's frown only deepened. "A young handsome boy like you shouldn't have scars like that." Her thumb rubbed over a certain bloody scratch on his forehead. "This one'll scar badly. At least your bangs will cover it," she speculated.

His cheeks only got hotter and Lloyd found himself pouting. Luckily for him, Chelsea stepped back saying, "We should star heading towards the heart of the city to see if any of others are there already. I think we've cleaned out this side."

Lloyd nodded in agreement and the two ran as fast as their legs could carry them.

* * *

**_General P.O.V._**

It wasn't too long before they reached their starting point, finding that they were the last group to arrive them.

"We were getting a bit worried about you two," Kai said with a teasing smirk, patting Lloyd's back.

"We handled it," the boy replied with a matching smirk.

"Whatever these things are, are brutal. I have no doubt they will kill without any sort of resentment to get whatever they're looking for," Zane said ruefully.

"It's kind of freaky how their bodies and blood evaporate after they've been killed," Cole added.

"Does anyone have any idea what these things are?" Jay exclaimed.

If it was possible, the night sky had gotten considerably darker. Clouds of black covered the night air as shadows covered all the buildings and statues of the, somewhat, wrecked.

"Shadow Soldiers," a dark ominous voice thundered through the air.

Jay turned around, the hairs on his neck standing. His blue eyes glowed in the eerie darkness and his eyes widened in fright. "G-guys!?" he exclaimed through chattering teeth.

The group turned around to see a large mass of black smoke(?) creep above the street. It was like low, almost inaudible, voices were hushing and whispering amongst one another. The ninja looked around in terror, moving closer together, as the shadows creped around them like a cloud of thick smoke. It had become terribly cold and all sources of light had become cut off. They fought for their eyes to adjust to the darkness but then a spread of dim light spread through as the moonlight had somehow peered through the shadows. The thick mass of black suddenly stopped moving, pausing directly in front of the group that had their weapons tightly in their hands.

It felt like hours, but in reality, for half a minute, they just stared at the mysterious shadow because it had made no movement. Soon enough though, it began to grow taller. As it got taller, the density of the shadows got thinner and thinner until they were able to make a body out of what was within the cloud.

Standing tall, at six-foot-three, was a woman who looked like the embodiment of evil. Her skin was pure white, glistening and gleaming in the darkness, virtually the only other source of light. A crown of black jewels lied upon her head, on top of her pin straight blacker-than-black hair that ended just above her ankles. She wore a simple black gown, starting just below her shoulders, under a thick, large, ebony scarf around her back. In her hand was a midnight-colored staff a ball of glowing grey on the top held in place by a claw like design. Her eyes were a sickly green mixed with yellow into it. Lips colored like blood were plump and vicious. She had a sharp jaw line and bony pale fingers.

"So, these are the ninja I am prophesized to fight against?" she said lowly and slowly, her deep, feminine, voice erupting out of her cherry lips like a thousand drums. The mysterious villain then smiled wickedly, sharp, white, canines glinting. "Greetings," she said.

"Who are you and why are you messing with Ninjago?" Kai bravely shouted. His amber eyes did not waver as the woman looked down at him, eyes glaring as if he were nothing but dust beneath her feet.

"Pardon my manners. I have forgotten to introduce myself." Smiling, sending shivers down the group's spine, she introduced herself proudly. "My name is Queen Eltanse, ruler of the Shadow Kingdom, and enemy of yours, like no other."

"T-the Shadow Kingdom?" Jay stuttered out.

Eltanse nodded slowly, peering at them with boredom. "Yes. It is in another dimension but, it also exists in your world."

"We've never seen anything like you around here," Lloyd shouted.

"Stupid boy," Eltanse scolded, "You have a shadow, do you not?"

"You still haven't answered why you're here," Cole reminded with an obdurate glare.

"I am here to collect the seven emeralds and destroy you," she bluntly said.

Gasps filled the air as fright creped down their backs and into the pits of their stomachs. The ninja stepped back as their new enemy began to laugh at their terrified expressions. She rose up in the sky on a cloud of shadows to reveal an army of Shadow Soldiers behind her.

"I'll give you one chance to answer me truthfully ninja. Where are the emeralds?" she demanded.

"E-emeralds?" Chelsea whispered, backing up into Cole.

When many seconds had passed and no one was answering, Eltanse blinked expectantly. "Time is up, ninja."

"We do not have the emeralds," Zane boldly declared, icy orbs glaring at his opponent.

Eltanse clicked her tongue in feigned disappointment. She shrugged. "I guess I will just have to kill you now. It was a pleasure knowing you ninja," she said simply. Pointing a finger to them, she commanded the army to attack and the soldiers ran towards them all at once.

Knowing they were outnumbered, the group of ninjas began to step back, fear written clearly on their expression. They began to run but found that a wall of shadows had been built, trapping them. "We're trapped!" Lloyd exclaimed, fear pounding in his chest. Cold sweat dribbled down Cole's temple as he desperately thought of a way out of this mess. His eyes scanned for any passage way that could aid them in an escape but when he found none, he silently cursed.

When one of the Shadow Soldiers lunged savagely towards them, the group prepared for a battle they knew they would lose, but gasped as a bright light suddenly dropped down from the sky.

"Sensei Wu!" Chelsea shouted with a mixture of relief, and astonishment.

The old man held out a grey emerald which shined brightly. Eltanse screamed in pain, shielding her eyes from the bright light. The small army behind her let out shrill screams as they ran away from the man who held out the amazing light.

"Go back to the hole you crawled out of, you witch," Wu commanded walking forwards.

Eltanse sneered nastily at him before having to turn away, shielding her eyes with her cloak. "Expect my return, ninja. I am everywhere!" she roared before disappearing in the same cloud she arrived in, her army vanishing along with her, leaving remains of shadows in the air.

Instantly, the atmosphere lightened up and all traces of what had just transpired was immediately gone. The light from the emerald dimmed down and the jewel sat, dully, in Sensei Wu's hand. He tucked it into the sleeve of his top. One by one, the citizens of the town began to appear as danger seemed to be clear of the city.

Before any questions could be asked by the ninja, Wu held up his hand. "Let us travel back to our chambers. There, all your questions will be answered."

He began to walk and the group looked at each other in uncertainty before following after their teacher.

* * *

**Yay! Second chapter done!**

**I come back after five days and I already have a review, follow, and favorite! Thank you so much for your review! I sincerely hope there are many more to come in the future.**

**Anyway, after re-reading last chapter, and deciding it was like 5,000+ words of pure poop, I hope this made up for it a bit. There are many more action packed chapters to come and I can't wait!**

**See ya soon!**

**I also changed my pen-name so, no, you're not crazy.**

**Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ninjago. All OCs and concepts are mine are mine.**

* * *

_"__Flame, you came from me—"  
—Sia _

* * *

Chapter 3

**_Sensei Wu_**

Sensei Wu didn't think this would be happening so soon. If he would've had some sort of sign that his vision would start to become reality this soon, he would've acted faster and maybe his students would've been prepared for what had transpired in Ninjago City. Even then, he should've taken this particular vision a bit more seriously and should've informed the ninja the first chance he got. He would now have to bear the weight of knowing that his ninja's wounds were partly his fault.

Admittedly, Wu told himself he hadn't done the best he could do this time around. When the stoic Ice Ninja had come to him, in private, asking what the precious gem was, at that moment, he had been taken by surprise. When the jewel was given to him he had told Zane that there was a new enemy on their behalf. He dismissed him before thanking the nindroid for sharing his new discovery with him only. Whilst reports of Ninjago City being under attack had been broadcastd to the ninja, he struggled to keep from telling them that these new foes were nothing they've faced before. But if he were to do that, at that moment, not only would the ninja go into battle with weary doubt, but he would be willingly let the innocent civilians face slaughter by taking precious time.

So, he had put his trust in his students and let them go without a word.

When the group had finally made it to their home, he first told them to get cleaned up before he would explain this new enemy of theirs. Once the ninja had been cared for, thanks to Nya, the old man led them to the dining hall. Surprisingly, the ninja hadn't spoken and Wu took this chance to take the emerald out of his sleeve and place it on the table for all to see. As he suspected, many eyes got wide with astonishment and some narrowed with confusion.

"Is that the emerald that lady was looking for?" Jay asked, moving his head to get a closer look.

Sensei Wu nodded patiently, his small eyes gazing down at the beautiful jewel. "Yes. This is one of the Emeralds of Dualism."

"What are those?" Lloyd asked with awe, staring at the dulled gem that had saved their very lives an hour ago.

Taking in a steady deep breath, Sensei Wu prepared to tell his students of the history of these gems. "The Emeralds of Dualism are very powerful gems that were created by God himself; existing since the beginning of time. There are seven of them; red, yellow, green, blue, white, grey, and black. Being a complete division of good and evil, as much as they can be helpful, they can also be very harmful if put in the wrong hands. They were first created to keep the many planes safe, only used by those chosen for good. The first elemental wielders. Your ancestors. It wasn't until Lucifer, himself, had sent his servants to capture the emeralds. Successfully doing so, he reaped havoc over many dimensions; turning peaceful places into dark realms.

"Realizing that the jewels were too powerful to exist in one plane, God sent the elemental masters to recapture them, with his help, and he casted them into different dimensions, making it impossible for all seven emeralds to be used at once ever again. For many millenniums, they have been separated and for some reason, they have been moved and have reappeared in the same plane and now the evil deity of the Shadow World is after their incomprehensible power. It is still a mystery to me how she was able to detect the presence of the emeralds, but that doesn't matter. It is dire that we collect those gems before Eltanse does, otherwise I fear we stand no chance," Sensei Wu explained, his grey eyes hardening.

"So what you're saying is that there is one emerald for each ninja?" Cole questioned, his thick brows furrowed.

"Precisely," Wu nodded, holding his bamboo stick behind his back, "Each ninja's emerald bestows upon them great power if used correctly."

"If that's true, then isn't there a Yellow Ninja? Don't we need them if we plan to defeat Eltanse?" Kai said.

Sensei Wu looked into amber eyes and saw them burn with their usual anticipation and fiery passion. He was internally glad that the new, heavy, information hadn't put a dent in his students' courage. "Yes. We need to start searching for the Yellow Ninja before time runs out. This is also why the Grey Ninja had appeared so suddenly. I have had a vision of the emeralds in use. By who, I cannot tell you for the vision was very blurry."

Zane asked, "What kind of powers do these emeralds hold, sensei?"

"There is not much known about them, but I am aware that they can be used for teleportation. I think they also have an effect on underlying emotions. That I'm not sure of, but while we continue on with our journey, we shall learn more of them," Sensei Wu then turned to Jay, "Also, I would like to ask if it is possible, Jay, if you could head over to Ninjago City and work on a locater for the emeralds with Cyrus. He already started working on the trackers but I think a little help won't hurt."

The teacher was happy to see the Lightning Ninja's eyes light up with excitement and awe. It hadn't been a secret that the red head was good with machinery and was a very large fan of the intelligent technician. With both of them on the job, the tracking devices should be done in no time.

"Sure thing!" Jay exclaimed with genuine enthusiasm. "I'll head over there, first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Excellent," Wu smiled. "Now, I want all of you to rest. Depending on if the tracking devices are done, tomorrow will be a busy day," he lightheartedly said, turning his back.

Talking amongst themselves, about the newly learned information, Sensei Wu heard his students leave; all but one. Behind him, Chelsea stood timidly, her hands playing with one another in a nervous habit. Truth be told, the old man had guessed the new ninja would've stayed to ask about what had been on her mind ever since he had laid the belligerent report on them.

"What is on your mind, my dear," he spoke with intimae, as if he didn't feel the ambiguity radiating off her person.

"I-I know this is crazy of me to think, but," she swallowed what sounded like a boulder, "d-do you think that my element could be…bad, I guess. I don't know."

He turned around causing Chelsea to glance at him but then gaze back at the tiled floor. "Why would I think that?" he calmly said, a smile pulling on the corners of his lips. Wu had seen this coming from a mile away.

The woman looked to the side in doubt. "It's just that…I'm the Ninja of _Shadows_ and…and we are going up against the ruler of the Shadow World who wants to cause harm. I can't help but think that maybe my element isn't all that good, and I'm not saying that I doubt your choices, but I…" Chelsea sighed, before fingering the bandages on her arm, "I doubt myself."

Sensei Wu placed a reassuring hand on the dubious woman's shoulder. He smiled gently with comfort, soothing the tornado of insecurity bleeding through coffee colored irises. "If I hadn't felt goodness and compassion in your heart, I wouldn't have even taken glance at you as you passed by. I am well aware of your element and you have to remember that it is you who chooses whether or not something is good or bad. Even darkness can aid in tranquility if it is used with pure intentions."

Chelsea blinked in thought, her eyes glazing over with contemplation. Her expression was a bit worrisome but he could tell some of the doleful thoughts that had been buried in her head had been casted away. Before she could say anything more, Sensei Wu patted her shoulder, turning on his heel. "Rest for now. Do not dwell on it too much or you will lose sight of your path. Oh, and don't forget to take your emerald. Keep it safe."

"Yes sensei."

* * *

**_Cole_**

Why did his back always have to get hurt?

Cole hadn't even been able to take his shirt off without feeling like a thousand needles had been inexorably stabbed into the tender flesh of his back.

Stupid Shadow Soldiers, always having to throw him into walls and scratch his back.

Mumbling irritably, the Earth Ninja sat on a cot, waiting for Nya to attend to his wounds. His chin lied heavily in his hand, his spine slouching over in annoyance. Emerald eyes scanned over the bandages wrapped on his forearms, a bit of blood outlining underneath them. He looked up to see Kai leaving with dressings around his head, and Zane smoothing something that looked like it burned on Chelsea's arms. The kunoichi winced, her finger tips digging into the seams of the cot, hissing in pain. The Ice Ninja mumbled a sympathetic apology and tenderly began to cover up the bloody circles drawn in her brown skin. Jay was nowhere to be seen and Lloyd waited patiently, next to the Shadow Ninja, for Zane to tend to the wounds on his face and torso.

They had all taken a pretty good beaten out there. As the leader, Cole was a bit disheartened. Yeah, he couldn't really control how much they got hurt, but it was still a bit desolating seeing his team-members so exhausted and worn out. What they had gone up against today wasn't something they had particularly trained for. These monsters that had—quite literally—crawled out of hell were barbarous and savage. They looked like something inconceivable from a really bad nightmare. It was obvious these evil beings had been ruthless but they seemed to be reckless too. Their fighting patterns were all over the place, he noticed. Cole had tried to familiarize himself with their attacks, but he had discovered the ferocious monsters just attacked without much thought and pugnaciously went in to kill.

It was, admittedly, a terrifying experience for the Black Ninja. Just thinking about how those insanely sharp fangs, glistening with saliva in the moonlight, aimed for his throat, brought shivers to his acing spine. He worried about how the bloodthirsty characters had affected his team-mates. For the most part, none of them seemed too scarred. Poor Lloyd was a bit shaken up, having told them he had seen enough blood to last a lifetime. Although Cole knew ninja saw stuff normal civilians would probably never see—he knew it first hand—he had always thought the young teen didn't deserve to experience such a thing at a young age. But it was the job he had taken on and Cole was very proud of him for that.

Lidded eyes then passed over their new addition to the team. He would be lying if he said he didn't think of the kunoichi once during their battles. Chelsea was a sore-fully new with everything there was to be a ninja, and to be suddenly forced to face someone that was possibly their toughest foe yet had to be horrifying, to say the least. When they had waited for she and Lloyd to arrive back at the intersection, his heart had been pounding against his ribcage, a million and one dire situations running through his mind. He had almost suggested they go look for the two newest ninja, (his dumb mistake putting them together because they were both still learning), but the duo had arrived soon and Cole shamelessly let a breath of relief flow through his lips. Still, he disdainfully eyed the markings on the Grey Ninja's arms and the tiny scratched on her jaw line. Cole felt a foreign lump lay uncomfortably in his chest.

He _really_ didn't like the fact that those wounds would most-likely scar her skin.

Unaware of Nya, who held a disinfectant spray behind him, Cole jerked forward, yelping in pain, as the spray made contact with his raw skin. A burning and prickling sensation spread throughout his entire backside and he had to restrain himself from jumping off the cot and moving away. Instead, he settled with biting down on his tongue in a fruitless attempt to lessen the stinging pain of the disinfectant. After ten seconds of agonizing swelter, an icy coolness began to sweep over his back. Cole sighed in abatement, his grip on the ledge of the cot loosening and the whiteness from his knuckles disappearing.

"Coulda warned me," he winced as some spots still stung him.

Nya giggled sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I thought if you were distracted, it would be easier to handle the burning." Cole only grumbled about how being unprepared actually made things worse, but the dark-haired girl just shook her head, a smile on her pink lips. Nya then dipped her finger tips in the salve and began to apply it over the hurt areas on his back. Her verdant eyes glimmered in jeer. "So, I see Chelsea's already got you making goo-goo eyes at her?" she hummed.

Cole raised a thick brow, his face scrunching up in tired confusion. What the hell are 'goo-goo eyes'? "Whadya mean, you weirdo?" He grimaced as he was thumped in the back of the head because of the remark.

Nya groaned in playful irritation, rolling her eyes. "Oh, it's obvious you like her, you don't have to pretend," she lowly said as to not attract attention from the three on the other side.

At the statement, Cole felt his face light up like a light bulb. His neck and cheeks burned with fire and he twisted around to stare at the pale girl with bug-eyes. "W-what!? No!?" he shouted, his voice exposing his rapid heartbeats. Cole mentally cursed at himself for how loud he had un-doubtfully become and lowered his voice. "What are you talking about?" he whisper-shouted with absurdity.

Nya only smiled knowingly. Her lidded eyes gleamed with eminent jive. "You know what I'm talking about, Cole, you big nincompoop."

This strong sense of vulnerability had the flustered man feeling cornered and he instinctively snapped back with more vulgar than necessary. "I seriously don't!" Cole felt his face burn even more as she just continued to stare at him with that look. He gritted his teeth, not understanding why he felt so defensive all of a sudden. The pressure of being under that taunting glare made him go crazy, like always, and he spluttered out, "Okay, so I think she's attractive, b-but I think a lot of people are attractive! That doesn't mean anything!"

Cole gaped. What'd he just say?

Nya laughed at him while he abruptly faced forwards again and pouted, crossing his arms childishly, his nose twitching cholerically. He grumbled indiscreet curses as the short woman teasingly ruffled his onyx-colored hair. Cole looked up in irritation as he heard the door swing open. He was chagrined to see dark blue eyes _glaring _hatefully down at him. Jay, who held a box of clean bandages, was looking at him as if Cole had just blatantly kissed Nya.

Tension whipped the air as the red-head callously dropped the box beside him and walked out, face red with anger, muttering to himself.

"What's his problem?" Cole asked Nya with besetment.

He heard Nya give a curt grunt. "Beats me," and she continued rubbing the salve on his back.

Cole winced as he felt her hand begin to aggressively rub the tender sores.

Well, it definitely felt like there were some obvious relationship issues.

* * *

**_Jay _**

The trackers had been made, and ready to go, at about ten in the morning. After waking up at the crack of dawn and heading over to help Cyrus Borg, the two had managed to create the main emerald locator on a laptop and eight individual wrist devices. It honestly hadn't taken that much time and was pretty simple considering the dark-haired genius already had the blue prints for the machinery. Jay had simply helped by physically creating them and encompassing the energy of the grey emerald into the devices' hardware so they would only track for similar energy sources.

"So the portable trackers will detect an emerald from a 50-mile radius while the locator that'll stay on the Bounty can go up to a two-hundred-and-fifty," Jay explained, as the others collected their wrist locators, strapping it securely. "There was also a communicator built into it in case one of us finds one and the rest aren't near. As long as there is a sky, it should be able to work just fine."

"Wow, Jay, you and Cyrus really outdid yourselves," Kai praised, inspecting the device with awe.

"Yeah, these are really cool," Lloyd added excitedly.

A sense of gasconade filled the Blue Ninja's puffed out chest. He didn't mind sinking into self-complacency once in awhile. "Why, thank you," he smugly said, a smirk on his expression. He haughtily looked at his nails, blowing the invisible dirt off of them. "It wasn't even that hard to do, really. All you just need is a sharp mind and a lucky wrench, which I happen to have in addition to good looks, a dashing personality, and-"

"You complement the guy once and it goes straight to his head," Cole chucked, shaking his head.

Everyone gave a laugh and Jay would've also laughed too, or at least playfully retorted, it weren't for the growing derision he felt for the Black Ninja. Jay knew he had to be causing the drift in-between him and Nya _again_.

For some odd reason, when Nya was dressing his wounds, he had tried to spark up conversation but she repeatedly answered with curt one-word answers he couldn't respond back too. He didn't think much of it and continued to try to get them to talk about something so his mind would be taken off of the terrifying creatures he had just faced. Right in the middle of his speech—about how black was such an awful color—the short woman had asked him if there was something he wanted to ask her, hope petitioning in her voice.

Jay didn't have a clue what she was going on about, so he asked her the first thing that popped up in his brain.

_"__How do you feel about cherry pie?"_

That had earned him a dreadful glare and a thump to the head. Jay guessed she really didn't like cherry pie, (which was good because he didn't either), and it was probably the wrong question. He had asked her what question she thought he might have for her and the green-eyed samurai just growled for him to get more bandages. So, like the obedient person he was (only to Nya), Jay went to go retrieve more bandages, and after he was gone for about seven minutes, tops, he's met with the worst nightmare of his life.

Nya was laughing that cute laugh of hers, while Cole was blushing madly, looking away in obvious embarrassment. Her small hand was ruffled in his ebony hair, and that was too much contact for Jay.

He was afraid of saying something because he knew his lightning fast tongue would dig him in a deeper grave with the petite woman. So he gave the girl-stealing-hunk-of-rock a nasty scowl before turning on his heel storming off.

That night, Jay could candidly feel the glaciers cracking, beginning to split blue and red down the middle. After things were beginning to look up for the two, this big ugly boulder comes tumbling in the scene, once again, to aggravate the socks off of him.

_Why can't Cole just find another chick to show off too for once in his life?_

Why'd it always have to be Nya?

Newsflash! Nya was his girl, not Cole's.

Grumbling irritably to himself, Jay gave the significantly taller guy a spiteful glare before strapping on his own wrist watch.

"We've already located the second emerald," Nya said, pointing to the device.

It was true, on the green screen was a white dot pulsating, nearly off the map.

"It's about forty-five miles northwest," said Zane, "If my calculations are correct, that should be Treasure Cove Beach."

"Then I guess we're going to the beach today," Cole finalized. "We'll take the Bounty and continue on from there. We've gotta collect those emeralds as fast as we can if we want to have a decent shot at defeating the new freak."

"Finally, we'll be getting out of this place," Kai exclaimed, cracking his knuckles, "I was starting to think I was claustrophobic." He then folded his hands behind his head and left. "I'm gonna go start packing."

Many of the others had gone off to do the same, agreeing to meet at the Bounty in about an hour.

* * *

**_General P.O.V._**

Sensei Wu had stayed on the Bounty while the other seven went to search for the next Emerald of Dualism. Unfortunately, the tracker couldn't exactly pinpoint where the emerald was, so they were forced to spread out and look for it in the area where it was approximated to be. Endless miles of sand stretched on along with the blue ocean that lied with it. Zane had taken into the water, searching for it while the rest dug in the sand.

It had been at least an hour—maybe even more—and the group had been searching. All of them were beginning to get tired, their arms sore from digging and Zane was starting to get exhausted from swimming around for so long. They decided to take a break and rest for a bit before continuing.

Lying down the towels they had brought, the group took to relaxing. After yesterday, the ninja had been quite edgy and it was probably a good time for them to just enjoy what they could, when they could. It was a rather nice day. The season of fall had caused a gentle, but constant, breeze and the sun was partially hidden behind the clouds. It wasn't anywhere cold, but it wasn't too hot; just right.

Near the shore, Chelsea and Zane had gone to search for interesting seashells. Nya and Lloyd were having a friendly discussion about whatever came to their minds and Cole, Jay, and Kai just relaxed, resting their aching muscles.

The boys, who were dressed in only their swim trunks, sighed peacefully.

"It's been awhile since we've just sat back and relaxed," Kai said, folding his arms behind his head.

"You said it," Cole agreed, crossing his legs, getting into a more comfortable position.

Jay slid on sunglasses, smiling in comfort. "We better enjoy it as much as we can. With that evil lady on the loose, and these ancient emeralds of whatever missing, I feel like we won't be getting a lot of these days later on."

Out on the shore, Chelsea picked up a shell. Some water splashed onto her as she knelt on the muddy sand but she was in shorts and an orange bikini top, so she didn't care at all. "Hey, Zane, look at this!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining as she studied the shell. It was glossy brown, glimmering the reflection of the water. The soft hazel color that adorned the almost egg-shaped shell gave it a porcelain look, tiny white spots decorating the edges of the beautiful shell. Its underneath was flat but pure white.

"What is it?" the kunoichi asked in awe.

The Ice Ninja, who wore only swimming trunks, knelt to the woman's level. Pale blue eyes observed the ceramic-looking shell. "It appears you have found a Cowry Shell. Belonging to the marine gastropod mollusks, in the family Cypraeidae, the crowies were valued very much and used as currency in several parts of Ninjago. Still, today, their shells are used as jewelry, its porcelain glow attracting the eyes of many. It also happens to be one of my favorite shells."

Astounded, Chelsea marveled the shell, holding it delicately in her hands. She suddenly got an idea; her brown eyes suddenly brightening up in animation. "I've always wanted to make a bracelet out of these. Do you think you could help?"

Zane smiled in determination. "It would be my pleasure."

Chelsea grinned in appreciation and tucked the shell in the front pocket of her shorts.

Over with Lloyd and Nya, the Green Ninja held his cheeks in his hands, lying on his stomach. He was also dressed in his swimming trunks but had a green t-shirt over his torso. Nya wore shorts and a red bathing suit top. She sat on her bottom, her hands propping her up.

The young samurai sent a skeptical glance towards the blonde teen. He was looking a bit…worried. Lloyd wasn't as cheery as he normally was and Nya had kind of expected him to be more excited. They were at the beach and out of the monastery and Bounty. He should've been a bit more interested than he was now.

"Everything alright, Lloyd?" she asked gently, taking a sip from her water bottle.

Sighing, the boy swatted away some sand on the towel they shared. "Yeah, it's nothing."

"Sure doesn't look like nothing to me," Nya pushed. She sat up straight, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Come on, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone, if you want."

Lloyd looked away, his lips scrunching to the side, contemplating on whether or not he should tell the fiery ninja's sister what had been troubling him for the past few hours. He scratched his cheek. Nya hadn't given him any reason to be weary of her in the past.

"Well," he sighed glumly, "it's just that…I'm bit worried about finding the emeralds, and stuff."

"What do you mean?"

"We've never ever heard of the Emeralds of Dualism and, all of a sudden, the ruler of the Shadow Kingdom is at our necks and we have to get them but they could be anywhere on this planet. I don't know. I-I'm not scared, I guess, it's just a bit much to handle all at one time," he admitted bashfully, his neck burning because he felt weak at the sudden confession.

But he was having a hard time handling this. Just yesterday, at this time, everything was so peaceful and then, suddenly, they were thrown into a bloody ring filled with nightmare-ish monsters that held no mercy within their hearts (if they even had one). And last night had merely been a warning, and everyone took a beating. He hated to admit it, but the Green Ninja was kind of scared for what was going to happen in the days yet to come. First they learn their ancestors were chosen guardians of the planes then that it's now their job to collect all the emeralds before the Shadow Soldiers do otherwise they wouldn't stand a chance. Wasn't that a bit much for a bunch of young people?

Nya scrunched her brows in empathy before giving the young teen an encouraging smile. "Hey, it's okay to be a bit worried about it. Don't get yourself down about it. We've prospered through so much in the past, there's no doubt we'll make it through this. You just have to keep your head up and fight your hardest. Because…" she trailed off expectantly, raising a brow.

"Ninja never quit," Lloyd finished with a bright smile, "Thanks Nya."

"No problem."

* * *

**_Kai_**

Turning over, onto his stomach, the Fire Ninja groaned in pleasure as the sun's warmth and the crisp breeze blended sweetly together, brushing over his tan skin. His hands lied underneath his cheek, amber eyes gazing over at the beautiful sparkling water touching the sky. This was heaven. To be comforted by Mother Nature's own gifts was definitely working for the ninja. Out floating far from the shore was a fin, moving at rapid speeds. A smile lifted the corners of his lips.

Kai always liked dolphins.

_This couldn't get any bet- _

Disturbing the peace in the air, Chelsea's voice split through the calm atmosphere.

"Hey guys, come here!" she shouted.

Turning their heads, the group got up without protest and quickly traveled to where Zane and Chelsea were.

"Look."

The emerald was glowing.

As the dark-skinned woman held out the gem, showing all to see, the bright, grey-tinted, glow of the jewel captured their eyes. It wasn't as bright as when Sensei Wu had used it to attack Eltanse, but it was still shining nonetheless.

"Why's it glowing?" Lloyd asked the question that had been at the tips of their tongues.

"Zane and I think the gems react when they're near another gem," Chelsea said, staring at the emerald in concentration. "Look, when I start walking this way," she walked backwards, Jay and Cole moving out of the way, "the emerald starts to dull."

The girl was at least ten feet back and, just as she said, the grey emerald started to dull.

"And then if I move this way," she took large strides northeast, "the emerald brightens."

"So that means the next emerald must be over there somewhere," Cole announced and the group immediately ran forwards, watching as the emerald's glow began to increase in brightness.

"I think this is as bright as it gets," Chelsea said, having to narrow her eyes because of its shine."

"Then let's start digging!" Jay shouted.

Right away, everyone spread out, going on their knees and digging for the lost jewel. Kai ran by the side of a large stone and scooped up large quantities of sand with his hands. He didn't know why, but this strong feeling in his gut was telling him to search around the stony area of the beach. It was probably going to take awhile before one of them found the emerald because there was a lot of ground to cover (or sand, if you must). But they would dig even if it meant having to dig up this entire section of the beach. They had to find that emerald no matter what.

And they had time to kill. It was, like, noon.

A good hour had past and none of them found anything, but they kept going.

Kai had dug up many holes around the rocks. Some deep, some shallow because he was getting tired, but he went on to the next spot. When he got to a medium sized black stone, one that was covered in seaweed, this feeling shot through the nerves of his chest. Immediately, he acted on it. It was the same feeling he got when he knew someone was walking near him, though he couldn't see it. Something was definitely there.

Getting on his knees, his sore fingers clawed at the ground, grains of sand uncomfortably edging their way up his dirtied fingernails. He ignored that. The mysterious feeling was now thumping on his ribcage. Reddish-brown eyes narrowed in determination, their usual flame igniting within them. Kai was now aggressively shoving the sand away, gritting his teeth in fortitude. Something had to be there! Yeah, his gut feelings usually didn't always bring positive bearings, but this was different. Something about the way his heart felt, and the way his blood was rushing, the adrenaline pumping wildly in his veins…it just felt too strong to be nothing. There just had to be-

Kai cursed as the tip of his nails bent backwards, shooting up waves of pain through his fingers. He held his hands close to his chest, wincing as he looked at their redness. Shaking his head, he peered down at what he might've hit and his eyes widened in discovery.

"Eureka," he lowly said.

Something hard, red, and shiny stuck out from the yellow sand and Kai wasted no time digging the rest of it out the ground. In no time, he held the crimson jewel in his hand, the emerald glowing because of how close it was to the grey one.

Kai stood up on his feet and raced to the others. "Guys, I found the emerald!" he shouted with an excited smile on his face.

The groups got on their feet, and surrounded the boy with the gem, awing at the precious stone. Kai and Cole high-fived in victory.

Nya walked back, picking up her bag. "Well, that was easier than I expected. We should start-"

A terrifying screech filled their eardrums causing the heroes to cover their ears, squeezing their eyes shut in pain.

"W-what the heck!?" the Blue Ninja shouted, gritting his teeth.

Before anyone could detect it, a large ebony tentacle wrapped around wrapped around the dark-haired girl. Nya gasped as the slimy limb constricted her movements, causing her to drop the bag and shout as she was taken back.

"Nya!" Kai and Jay shouted.

The terrible shrieking had stopped—finally—and the group turned around only to have their hearts drop. Up in the air was the dreadful, villainous, woman they had hoped to not see for quite awhile. Eltanse stood on a cloud of shadows next to what looked like a possessed 50 foot tall octopus. Its entire body was black, the suction cups underneath a sickly purple. The eyes of the octopus were a solid, dead, grey, its sclera completely gone. As it tipped back, giving another deadly roar, clearly seen in the light of day were endless rows of razor sharp teeth. Eltanse only smirked wickedly, her iniquitous gaze falling upon the ninja below her.

"What are you doing here?" Cole growled loudly.

"I want the emerald you've found and I will have it," she blatantly spoke, her eyes showing no nonsense. "Give it to me now, or the girl dies," she sneered.

The tentacle holding the half-Asian girl grew tighter on her body. Nya bit her tongue, trying desperately to hold back the screams threatening to tear through her throat. She struggled, trying to get out of its grip but when she felt the bones inside her torso start to sting, she couldn't hold back her scream.

Kai's heart pounded menacingly as the screams of his sister undoubtedly tore through his heart. He called out her name in worry as he saw her give out, falling limp in the air, panting harshly. His jaw tensed, teeth gnashing harshly against one another in fiery anger.

"Let my sister go, _now_," he demanded.

Eltanse merely blinked. The sky seemed to morph into a tormenting mix of black and purple, the clouds turning an angry grey. The once calm blue waters smashed against the surface, forcing the ninja to jump back in fear of getting taken into the mad sea.

The tall deity pointed to the ninja with her staff. "Kill them," she ordered.

Without hesitation, the deranged sea creature howled, flinging several of its tentacles, the ends of them becoming acute.

Quickly, the ninja transformed in their attire, tensing for battle. Their elemental swords had been left on the Bounty which had to be far away because sensei had told them he was going to see if another emerald was around here. For now, all they had were their ordinary weapons, so they'd have to work with them.

For Kai, if it meant saving his sister, he'd go with his bare hands if he had to.

Jumping away, the ninja evaded the sharp tentacles that struck the ground, heavily shaking it. Out of the corner of his eye, Kai saw Cole and Zane run up to a flying tentacle, jumping up and delivering several blows to it. The nindroid extended his hand, his elemental power freezing one of the limbs. He and Cole slid down it, Zane flipping off it before the Black Ninja took his scythe and slammed it down on the tentacle, eliminating the ice.

"Bad octopus, bad!" Cole scolded.

The kraken-like creature gave a shrill vociferate in agonizing pain and anger.

Jay leaped into the air, spinning into a drill charged with his element and into a tentacle. The limb retracted back before hitting the blue ninja, sending him back. Jay grunted in surprise before impacting the ground. He quickly recovered and flipped to his feet and charged at the sea monster. He flung his nun-chucks, successfully hitting an arm.

"How'd you like that you oversized sushi dish!?" he smirked.

Chelsea ducked in time, the deathly limb sweeping over her head, sure to cut her head clean off her shoulders. She ran across the sand, up the side of a large sea cave and hooked herself onto one of the arms. She grimaced as she was thrown about, carelessly, but she still held on. Finding it in herself to stand, she flipped off, aiming a sharp arrow at the side of the octopus' head, the arrow head victoriously digging into its skin. It roared again and the kunoichi lost her balance, falling harshly into the sand, but speedily recovering.

"Kai!" Lloyd shouted while dodging a tentacle.

The brunette jumped away just before he was impaled.

"What is it?" he yelled back, hitting the same arm away with his sword.

The teen grunted as he jumped, giving a tornado kick and burning the vicious limb with fire. "Remember how sensei used the emerald yesterday?"

"What about it!?"

He saw Lloyd roll his eyes. "You and Chelsea should use it!"

Instantly, Kai's eyes lightened in recognition. He dodged the flailing limbs and ran towards the grey kunoichi. The Fire Ninja saw her swiftly evading the arms, sometimes stumbling back if the tentacle grazed her. He hurriedly got to where he was sure she could hear him.

"Hey, Chels," he called out and the girl snapped her head in his direction. They both leapt high in the sky, suspended in the brisk air. "We need to try and work these emeralds just like how sensei did last night. Are ya up for it?"

Chelsea nodded speaking a confirmative, "Yeah," before taking out the grey stone.

Kai's determined stare locked on Eltanse who just floated high up in the sky, apathetically peering down at the scene, observing the wild animal and the ninja. He stuck out the emerald and furiously yelled out, "Take this!"

He closed his eyes, expecting the blinding light of the emerald.

But it didn't come.

The Red Ninja felt gravity take a hold of him, once again, and pull him down.

"It isn't working!" Chelsea shouted with trepidation, her eyes fearful.

His wide eyes stared at the jewel with aggravation. "Damn it, why isn't it working!" he cursed.

"Kai, Chelsea, look out!" Zane bellowed, but it was too late.

They were both wacked with a tentacle, painfully flung into the side of a cave wall. Groaning, they both fell to the ground, Kai coughing hoarsely. He watched, with one eye opened, as Lloyd had been hit, crashing into the sand, creating a small crater. Cole shouted his name, lunging his way towards the fallen boy before an arm wrapped around his own body and Lloyd's.

"Let them go!" Jay shouted tersely, all the humor left from his bruised face. He spun his weapon above his head, leaping up only to have the sharp end of the tentacle nip him in his side, drawing blood and sending him crashing near the shore.

Kai gritted his teeth in anger. They were getting beaten. He needed to do something quickly. Putting away the emerald, he tried to get up, but his sides screamed in protest. Bowing his head, Kai cursed silently. Some of his ribs had been either broken or severely bruised. Out in the distance, someone had screamed for him to move out of the way. He looked up, between his sweaty bangs, to see an arm darting for him. He tried so hard to move, but he couldn't. Everywhere was burning with increasing pain. It just wasn't possible.

Holding his side, Kai squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the—absolutely painful—smack.

But that didn't come either.

Well, it did, but not by the tentacle.

Grainy sand was shoved into the fiery ninja's mouth. He coughed out what he could before shaking his eyes, desperately trying to clear his blurry vision. With horror, he watched as the Shadow Ninja, who had pushed him out of the way, was captured and held high in the air.

Chelsea grunted gravelly, her legs kicking as she struggled to get out of the creature's grip. She was brought up to Eltanse, the sickly pale woman giving her a glare that could murder serial killers.

"Ninja," she boomed, her deep voice attracting the attention of many, "I do not kid. Give me the emerald."

_(Doused with gasoline, the corpses were glimmering in the sweltering heat…) _

The struggling woman scowled and shook her head. "No," she defied.

Eltanse gave her a bored stare.

Suddenly, the kunoichi, who was still in the octopus's constricting grip, was sent face first into a massive rock, powerfully. Kai felt himself scream her name along with many others. Chelsea was brought back to Eltanse, her hands and legs twitching, bloody bruises and scratches decorating her face and body.

"Give me your emerald, girl," Eltanse said, once again, as if she were a mother talking to her spoiled five-year-old.

Chelsea struggled to keep her head up, clenching her teeth so tightly together Kai thought they would crack under pressure. Tears had escaped her eyes but she still held a courageous expression.

_(The flames came alive with one single stride against the grainy side of the box…)_

"N-No."

Kai almost screamed when she was smashed into the rock again. His mouth hung agape, eyes wide with consternation as the tentacle retracted her from the wall of rock. Chelsea's head had fallen back, her eyes wide and vacant as they stared up into the dark sky. Dark brown eyes were then hidden under eye lids, fluttering closed like the gentle wings of a butterfly. Her fingers twitched inhumanely and a stream of blood ran down the sides of her mouth. She looked like a swatted fly.

He couldn't tell if she was dead or not.

From the side, he could hear Cole screaming, cursing, at the witch to let her go and Lloyd and Nya (when did she wake up?), screaming, crying, in horror.

Eltanse gave the limp woman a nonchalant stare before scoffing.

"Pathetic."

Then, as if she were a used cup, the kunoichi was carelessly flung into the ocean, breaking the surface, the cold water enveloping her body completely. Zane jumped into the water, disappearing within the waves also.

Soundlessly, Kai let the tentacle wrap around his own form, ignoring the burning in his sides. He heard his sister shrieking for him to escape, not wanting the same thing to happen to him, but all the fiery ninja did was bow his head, his floppy hair covering his eyes.

Kai said nothing as he was brought up to the dark queen, her yellow-green eyes staring disentranced. _What kind of rage was this?_ There was nothing but the crashes of the waves and the brisk air hitting his eardrums until she spoke with the same leveled tone.

"Do you choose to suffer the same fate?"

_(He flung the match…)_

Nothing was said for awhile. The squawks of passing seagulls added to the tension rioting within the scene.

He muttered something.

Eltanse blinked. "Excuse me?"

The dahlia emerald coruscated.

"I…_will kill you_."

Blood red eyes pierced through dirtied bangs.

_(Fire, meet gasoline…)_

* * *

**_"How do you feel about cherry pie?"_**

**_Jay cracks me up even though he has never said it. He said it in my head and that is all that matters.  
So, obviously, there's some conflict stirring in that area so that should be fun._**

**_Also...cliffhanger!_**

**_Ooooh, I can't wait to post the next chapter. It's going to be super epic (not really). Actually, I've already written about a third of chapter four because it was supposed to be included in this chapter but it would make this chapter waaayyyy too long. It's long enough as it is. Anyway, there's not much to say other than sorry if the fighting scenes sucked. Action is not my thing, but I'm giving it a go with this story!_**

**_The idea of the Emeralds of Dualism came from a dream I had. I don't really feel like explaining it but they were there and someone called them something similar to that so now I'm using it in my story. I had to research a bit into it because I wanted to add power sources that were both equally good and bad. I wrote them as emeralds and not weapons or something just because of SonicX haha. Anyway, yeah, not much to say about them. It's all just imagination!_**

**_If you have any question, feel free to ask through reviews or PM. I'll respond when I can._**

**_I hope you enjoyed this chapter and reviews, favourites, and follows are cherished!_**

**_Oh, and Happy New Year!_**

Thank you.


	4. Chapter 4

**LightningDanino23: Thank you so much! Ahhhhh! It means a lot! All your questions will be answered and hopefully new ones will arise :)**

**ShadowCinder333: Thank you so much! I'm never comfortable with writing fighting scenes haha. Thank you for pointing out the comma thing too. I always want to stuff so much information into one sentence that I completely forget the rules and it just messes everything up. It sucks that English isn't my first language, but I'm still learning! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**ML-AWESOMENESS: Awesome name! Thank you! I really appreciate it. I didn't think much of the notes but it's really nice for you to say that. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

_**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews and favorites/follows! Keep em' coming!**_**Disclaimer: All Ninjago characters belong to Lego. All OCs and concepts are mine. **

* * *

"_We are students from the graduated class of: We made it!"  
—Shane Koyczan_

* * *

Chapter 4

_**Zane **_

She was alive.

She _was _alive.

Hurting, but alive.

That was what Zane kept telling himself as his legs kicked forwards. Pale blue eyes glowed in the dark sea, looking for the new ninja. Passing by, he saw a school of indigenous fish trying to keep together as the rough waves kept pulling them back.

The average human could go without air for about forty seconds meaning he's got about thirty-two seconds before the Grey Kunoichi was-

_No._

She_ was_ alive and she was going to _remain_ alive.

Movemovemovemove.

Swimswimswimswim.

The Polish android kicked harder, his arms helping him move past the strength of the current.

Zane would admit that if it hadn't been for the last surge of logical thinking left in his apparatus, he would've somehow destroyed the wretched octopus for hurting his friends. It hadn't been processed that the rest of his family could be dead by now, but a part of him scolded himself, telling him that he needed to put trust in his teammates and go find the girl the was most-likely dea-

_Alive_.

For the first time in his life, Zane cursed his father for installing such sensitive senses within his person. The sickening crunch of stone connecting with soft flesh and bone was left oscillating off the crevices of his memory drive, installing—forever— in his hard drive. The clear sight of the girl that looked like a ballerina that had broken her bones in the most impossible of ways, hanging like a rag doll, would never leave the front of his sight. Zane would have to deal with the images and sounds for next few nights.

Twenty-three seconds.

Swim harder!

Harderharderharderharder.

What was this strange beating of his spurious heart? It was familiar. Yes, definitely. Fear. It had to be. Real fear was crawling up the red and green wires of his machine, causing goose bumps on his semi-synthetic skin. He had just watched the girl faint, gurgling her own blood, and then dropped into the sea like a sack of rice for dead.

All this for one of the Emeralds of Dualism.

How many more of these situations would he find himself in before he would tear out his wires, screaming to the heavens to relieve him of this uncomfortable pain that had begun to settle in his chest?

Zane shook his head, narrowing his eyes in concentration. He needed to focus, not dwell on his mental altercations. That would help no one in the end and he really didn't need to waste anymore time because he had eleven more seconds left and if he didn't reach her in time, he didn't know what he would do to-

Chelsea!

Floating silently along the current of the sea was the supple body of the Shadow Ninja. Zane pushed further and, in no time, his fingers had gripped onto her. Foreign feelings of robust relief and terror exploded within the nindroid's chest. His large hand gripped onto her head, forcing it against his shoulder because if it wasn't there, Zane wouldn't be able to keep telling himself that her lifeless legs and cold body were just from being in the ocean. If her body wasn't pushed against him so much that they would somehow morph into one, Zane would shutdown right now.

Kicking up to the surface with as much strength as he could muster, the White Ninja broke the both of them out of the cages of grey water. Zane shoved the limp woman onto his back, kicking his way to the shore, gritting his teeth in concentration. He paid no attention as the water crashed into his face, the salt burning his eyes raw. This was now mind over matter. Nothing was going to stop him from reaching the yellow sand.

And nothing did.

Dragging his waterlogged body onto the shore, he took a hold of the kunoichi, placing her on her back. The ninja lowered his ear to her mouth, placing a hand on her chest for any movement.

She wasn't breathing.

She _wasn't breathing_.

Jesus Christ—

Zane's eyes had never been so full of emotion ever before. His pale blue orbs were glistening and burning so much he couldn't tell the difference between the salt of his tears and the salt of the sea.

She was just lying there, her pruned, bruised, and swollen body soaked and cold from the environmental conditions. All the blood from her body had been washed away but many wounds were left open; red and taunting. Her ebony hair was stripped of its usual lustrous shine and it was sprawled across the ground, some it sticking to her face. Zane began to pant harshly, his mind going haywire at this site.

Why wasn't he thinking right?

What was happening to him!?

He needed to be doing something!

He ripped the top half of her suit off, the lace and soggy cotton giving way to the sheer force. Placing two hands on her chest, where her heart was, Zane began to push down, muttering, "One one-hundred, two one-hundred, three one-hundred, four one-hundred," repeatedly.

Chelsea lied lifelessly; her eyelids softly over her eyes as if she were Sleeping Beauty merely resting, waiting for her prince to kiss her awake.

So that's exactly what Zane did.

* * *

_**Nya **_

She had never seen anything so beautiful.

Despite the pain, the horrid stinging sensation that burned her entire body, Nya could do nothing more than stare with substantial anodyne. The intensity of the power radiating off of the transformed boy had numbed her brain from her pain.

Her brother looked like a fiery angel sent, from God himself, to alleviate them of the pain they were suffering.

Kai was completely enveloped in the emerald's conflagrant light, his eyes glowing with a red that was not evil or frightening, but passionate and determined. He had completely changed. On his legs were baggy black pants, scrunching up near the ends of his ankles. A crimson coat covered his black turtle neck, the flaps near the ends opening wildly, blowing in the inferno heat that surrounded him. It was decorated with golden rims, symbols from the Japanese language reading, 'Fire' over the chest area. A black belt was wrapped firmly around his waist. A black shoulder and chest plate with red rims covered him, completing the set. In his hands he held a sword like none other. This one glimmered like no other jewel and burned with the fiery passion held in the Fire Ninja's heart.

Just beautiful.

"This ends now," Kai spoke, his voice burning with avidity. It rumbled within the depths of her chest, down her spine, and through the pits of her stomach.

The tentacle that once held him was now lying lifelessly in the water, singed.

Eltanse must've also felt the power this boy had gained from the emerald too because she frowned, finally showing emotion. She floated back, her hand pointing to the ninja. "Kill them," she ordered.

Nya screamed as the grip on her now feeble body tightened once again and the kraken roared with galore. It was waving all of them in the air and then bringing the ninja and samurai to its mouth for their end. Tears burned the dark-haired girl's eyes as saliva was sprayed onto her body, razor sharp teeth waiting to taste her blood. Trembling, she screamed the only thing that popped in her head.

"Kai!"

The next second Nya felt her body wrapped in a warm pair of arms. She felt weightless, warm, and safe. She wrapped her arms around a warm neck, burying her head into a similarly warm chest. It wasn't until the girl had dared herself to peek from her eye lids that she stared incredulously at the man that looked down at her with kind eyes. Her brother's eyes kept contact with her gaze all the way through, their compassion somehow making Nya's tears disappear.

Kai brought her down to the sand, where the rest of the group had been safely put, and set her into Jay's arms. Nya let go, totally in shock at the appearance of her brother. He put a hand on her bruised cheek and when she responded by placing it on top of his, Kai gave her a handsome smile before disappearing in a flash of light.

The scene before her was hard to keep up with because there were so many things going on. There were so many flashes of light and crimson flames decorating the sky, her verdant eyes were starting to burn from staring for so long, but she couldn't stop. Nya was left in awe as Kai boldly faced the octopus and then, in a blink of an eye, he was on the other side, sword held out behind him, hair unrestrainedly blowing in the wind.

The octopus gave one insanely loud shriek before it split in half, limbs dead, and its edges singed with unquenchable fire.

Black blood spilled everywhere and then evaporated.

Kai floated to the ground, cheers blasting in Nya's ears from behind. Green met amber and they both stared at each other. Soon his feet hit the sand, the emerald flying out beside him. He dimmed down, transitioning into his original battered clothes.

They smiled.

Then Kai fell forward.

Instantly, Nya fell with him, sitting on her numb legs, letting his head lie on her lap. The emerald that had gone within him lied carefully on his side, its glimmer reducing to an ordinary shine. The young woman gazed at the emerald before taking it and placing it on Kai's chest. She gently stroked the wet hair out of his eyes, her crystal tears falling onto his cheeks.

_I'm so proud of you._

"That was amazing," Lloyd muttered, limping over to the unconscious boy's side, tears trailing down his cheeks.

Nya laughed a watery one and bent down to kiss her brother's forehead.

"Absolutely amazing," she whispered.

* * *

_**Cole **_

His heart completely melted at the scene.

Yeah, so maybe they weren't looking their sharpest and blood and tears were everywhere on them, but it was still the most heart-warming scene the Earth Ninja had ever seen in all his years.

What Kai had done and turned into was something Cole couldn't describe with words, but he would try when they would have to explain to Sensei Wu. There was just so much compassion, love, and bravery within his eyes, Cole couldn't look away. His strength and powers were even greater than when he had unlocked his true potential. So much more. It was so mind-boggling it was almost psychedelic. He looked like the very angel to protect the Garden of Eden. If he had ever run by that story, he would imagine Kai because he was just it.

Turning to the beat up Lightning Ninja, he gave the red-head a brazen grin, patting him on the back. Jay winced, but smiled whole-heartedly in return.

Everywhere was hurting him like a bitch, but he was just happy they were just all ali-

"Guys, Zane is giving Chelsea CPR!"

God damn it.

You know that feeling you get when you swore you put your phone in your back pocket when you got in the car but, when you checked, you couldn't find it?

Yeah, that was Cole right now.

Except a jillion times worse.

The last time he'd seen the two was right after his mind had gone blank from this hallucinatory fury that coursed in his veins. After the creature had been slaughtered, Cole had almost forgotten about the pair. There were just so many things going on that he just…well, forgot.

But now, everything came back with a startling slap to his face.

Nya and Jay stayed with Kai, but looked onward with dread as the other ninja ran (limped) towards the two that were by the seaside. Cole felt his chest tighten as he watched Zayn push onto the kunoichi's chest forcefully. Tears were leaking out of the nindroid's eyes, his breathing patterns rough and heavy. Cole's heart pounded painfully against his ribcage as he observed the White Ninja's frenzied state. When Zane was going haywire that meant there was something to worry about. That meant the probability of anything looking good was so low they might as well forget about it.

The ninja was crying for Pete's sake.

Zane _never _cries.

Cole crawled over, closer, to the girl, her body jerking up and down because of how hard Zane was pushing on her chest. His verdant murky eyes went back and forth on her face, his bottom lip trembling because she wasn't opening her eyes. Her eyes were still closed and her mouth was shut.

"Sh-she's not breathing," Zane murmured, chocking on his tears.

He kept pushing and pushing, biting his pale pink lips. Cole shook his head in denial. He was on his hands and knees, his chest tightening so painfully, he didn't know if he could still breathe. In his right ear he heard Lloyd's broken sobs, begging for her to wake up, and in the left, Zane's whimpers, but he couldn't hear anything in his head. Everything was just so blank and watery and…and-

Zane bent down and connected their lips together, blowing air into her lungs. He then continued on with the CPR.

Was it bad that Cole wanted to push the Polish nindroid off of her and do the exact same thing himself?

Maybe this was what losing control felt like.

He did it again.

And again. And again.

It was to save her life.

Then why the hell was he getting angry about it?

Of all the times, he had to feel jealous _now_?

"Wake up. Wake up!" Zane sternly commanded, frustration creasing his forehead.

"Pl-plea-ease d-don't do th-this," the young blonde cried.

He was pushing so hard on her chest. Zane had ripped off the top half of her ninja suit, exposing her black undergarments. It was to get the pumps directly to her chest, to save her life. The whole thing was about to fall off her body anyways. There were tears, from the bottom, reaching up to her waist and the lace covering her arms had almost worn off. One of her boots had been lost some time ago and the one that still remained had smudges of dirt covering the dull material.

So much for durability.

Cole grabbed her hand ignoring the fact that it was so cold. His face twitched, trying to hold in the cries that were sent from the depths of his chest. He bowed his head, placing his forehead on her hand, his nose meeting the wet hard sand beneath him. He started to mutter pleas, praying to God—if God still remembered him—to help her, to bring her back because, somehow, he knew it wasn't her time to go yet.

It just wasn't.

It couldn't be because they had just gotten her. The team was prophesized to battle against the wicked woman so that meant she had to be alive. It just had to. And even if that weren't to come true, this wasn't right. It wasn't fair. Chelsea didn't deserve to die so soon. She just started her journey. She had just begun to start her fight for this world and it had repaid her like this. How was that fair? This couldn't be destiny. Her destiny had greater things in store for her, not this. It wasn't to die after one fight. It wasn't to give up her life and die at such a young age. It wasn't to leave them. It just wasn't!

Nonononononononononono-

She coughed.

His head snapped up to see the dark-skinned woman cough hoarsely, her mouth shaping into an 'O', regurgitating the water from the sea. Chelsea was gasping rapidly and deeply, chocking on the water left in her lungs. Zane immediately sat her up, holding her trembling body over his hand, patting her back as she continued to vomit out the fluids. Cole squeezed her hand as she faintly clutched his, her other free hand desperately gripping Zane's soaked gi for support.

When she had finally ceased her coughing fit her breathes became shaky again. Her wide eyes were petrified as she looked around, the life sucked dry out of her skin. She started to hyperventilate bringing her hands to her chest. Cole felt himself break as he watched her shiver and tremble, the realization of coming close to permanent death hitting her like a bullet train. He wanted to reach out and hold her, tell her everything was going to be okay.

But Zane beat him to it.

Holding her cheeks, the nindroid forced her to look straight into his pale eyes.

"You are okay," his jaw tensed, "You are alive."

There was tight silence before Chelsea nodded, burying her head into his chest, and letting the loudest sob Cole had ever heard tear through her throat.

* * *

_**Aboard the Bounty**_

To say they were tense would be an understatement.

Of course the ninja and samurai were grateful to be alive, but after a day like that, their minds were a bit…muddled.

Sensei Wu watched his students, lie around like lost souls, with guilt and worry. When he had finally gotten back to Treasure Cove Beach, he was utterly horrified to find the ninja severely beaten and bruised. He hadn't even paid mind to the crimson emerald they had found. Instead, he quickly gathered them on board, helping the ones that couldn't really walk over the sides of the ship, if they needed it. Right away, he helped them tend to their wounds. Zane, Cole and Nya also helped with bandaging everyone else because their own injuries weren't that severe compared to the others. There were cuts and soreness here and there, but nothing they hadn't suffered through before.

Lloyd had a nursed a sprain his right ankle and a minor concussion. With a few bandages to his head and tight dressings around his ankle, he was good to go. But the trauma of what had transpired hours ago was still left to torture his young mind. His tremors and tenseness proved so. Chelsea had taken a bit of a beating. Her injuries were more brutal and harder to tend to. After a painful examination by the Ice Ninja, he stated that she had severely bruised two ribs and her knee cap had been popped out of place in addition to the bridge of her nose having been deeply bruised. There wasn't much they could do about her ribs and nose, only time could heal it, but Zane said he had to pop her knee cap in place. Luckily, the kunoichi was asleep but when he had popped the bone back into its socket, the ninja's eyes snapped open and a startled scream left her mouth. It was more out of surprise than pain, but she was left with the after affects of it. Jay's pelvic bone was badly bruised and the slightest movement caused him a lot of pain, so he was forced to just lie there and let time heal his wounds. In addition, his elbow had been completely shattered and he too suffered from a concussion. Kai was the worst of all of them. In all his years, Sensei Wu had never seen such a young boy so mercilessly drowned in agonizing pain. Even in unconsciousness, it was easy to hear the pain that doused through his labored pants. The Fire Ninja's ribs were broken, his left ankle had a minor fracture in it and his right wrist had also gained a fracture. He had cuts and bruises everywhere and his bottom lip was swollen purple.

After everyone had been helped, Sensei Wu had announced he was going to retire early and that he would ask about this day when he felt they had enough energy and time to heal. He also told them that they would do nothing but rest for awhile and it was dire that the ninja and samurai heal before even thinking about venturing out for the next emerald. Without another word, the old teacher slipped out of the sick bay and retreated sorrowfully to his room.

The sick bay was quiet for a bit. The team sunk in their thoughts (or dreams) about whatever laid on their mind. The ones awake couldn't bear to look at each other for some of their injuries reminded them of their fall towards permanent death. The ones asleep only added to their turmoil as their labored breathes resonated slickly through the still air.

"Well this sucks," Jay huffed, forehead creasing with irritation. The loss of virtually all of his mobility had already taken its toll on the Blue Ninja. Why was it that when the most simple, every-day, things were taken away you only realize how much of a necessity they actually were?

The team leader, who lied on a mattress on the floor, sighed irritably. "We're lucky to be alive, Jay."

Jay snorted grimly. "Yeah, well what's the point if we're all gonna die soon anyways? We're basically useless now. It's gonna take weeks before all of us are even able to walk! By then, Eltanse would've found the rest emeralds and we will have to live with the fact that we got our asses handed to us on the first round." If he could, he would've tinkered with a machine or something to blow off steam. But since he couldn't even move, the Lightning Ninja had settled for cursing, something he only did when he found no other way to release his anger.

Cole scowled at his words. He wasn't really up for putting up with the quick-tongued red-head at the moment, his own grouchy attitude rubbing him the wrong way. Being able to move, he propped himself on his elbows and snapped, "I really don't feel like dealing with you right now so would you do me a favor and shut your mouth for once in your life!"

"Can you guys please-" Nya started but was cut off.

"Don't tell me to shut up you girl-stealing-hunk-of-rock! You're not the one with a bruised pelvis!"

"Wha—do you want it broken, cus' I'd gladly do it for you!?"

"If I could move I would shove my foot so far up your-"

"Jay, Cole, shut up! Both of you!" Nya exclaimed, sitting up and glaring at the two ninja who glared knives at each other. "You two are acting like spoiled five-year-olds. We just came back, barely alive, and you two would rather fight over nothing? That is not what friends do!"

Grumbling irritably, the two gave one last glare at the other before Cole lied back down and Jay turned his head away. Nya sighed heavily before lying back down on her mattress placed in the bay, contemplating whether or not she really wanted to stay here for the night. Zane, Cole, and Nya decided they wanted to sleep here with the others, until they could move them to their rooms, to keep them company. But, already, the ninja's dour moods were clashing. The young samurai rolled over and buried her face into the crease of her arm. It was barely six and she felt like the wee hours of the night had already passed.

Not too far away from the brooding girl were the White and Green Ninja. Zane sat by Lloyd, holding an ice pack to the boy's ankle and making sure it was properly elevated and his head was comfortably resting on the pillow. The nindroid really hated it when his brothers fought but chose to keep quiet due to the fact the he himself feared that he would say something he'd regret in the future. The recent events had taken a bit of a toll on the usually calm ninja. Just looking at his teammates so beat up and hurt tortured the Ice Ninja's heart and he had to try really hard to hold back the burning tears and agonizing sorrow from showing on his face.

Zane was their go-to guy for stability and foundation. Although Cole was the team leader, he was human. More things could get to the Black Ninja. Zane had been programmed to access the situation before letting emotions throw him over. He was proud to be a nindroid and to let his brothers have the reassurance that he would always be the one to have his head resting securely on his shoulders.

But, as of now, he wasn't feeling so sturdy.

But he had to keep up the charade. Anything for his family.

Zane's thoughts were interrupted as Lloyd's whimpers pierced through his thinking cloud. His pale irises darted over the boy's face to see it scrunched up in fear and sadness. His artificial eyes glowed in understanding but he still asked, "What is wrong Lloyd? Does your head hurt?"

Unable to contain the tears that drenched his eyes, the blonde teen desperately tried to wipe the tears away. "How are we supposed to be beat Eltanse? I-it just seems impossible and I know that we haven't been through much with her but…but that's just it. One real battle and we're half dead," he sniffed choking back a sob.

Taking his finger, Zane gently moved away strands of hair from the boy's forehead. He blinked, unable to recognize why he had just done the affectionate gesture but smiled comfortably. "We cannot give up hope. Even when we fear all hope is lost, we must continue to fight for the good. Ninja never quit."

Even though they were words of encouragement, Lloyd couldn't find anything comforting. He only let out a heavy breath, turning his head away in denial. His verdant eyes narrowed, feeling so heavy with tears. Lloyd felt his bottom lip tremble.

"Easy for you to say. You have way more courage than I could ever have. I-I'm the Green Ninja, prosecutor of the Overlord and Lord Garmadon and here I am, crying because…because this is just too much for me!" he confessed, gritting his teeth. His sobs were getting harder to keep in but he still tried with whatever dignity he had left.

But Lloyd was so disappointed in himself. He was terrified out of his wits. He was a ninja for crying out loud! Ninja weren't frightened by the abnormal. At least they weren't supposed to be. He guessed he was an exception because even when he was told that he was supposed to go against his father, he was downright terrified. Now that didn't seem too bad compared to this. The ninja had to go up against something that was quite literally from hell. To say he was scared was an understatement in itself. How could he call himself the prophesized ninja when he always started crying when he was scared? That just didn't make sense.

Who would want to be protected by someone that cried every damn day?

The room went silent once again from the boy's confession. Sorrow edged its way up the older ninja and samurai's hearts, but they could say nothing. As of now, it was almost impossible to say any genuine words of encouragement. For it to be true they would have to believe it themselves and they too weren't sure if they trusted their own bravery and words right now.

"D-Don't worry Lloyd," Chelsea croaked.

Instantly, heads turned to the kunoichi. They watched as she rubbed her eyes and flinched as she touched the bridge of her nose. A yawn escaped her lips and she moaned in pain.

"Don't yawn when your ribs are bruised," she whispered in a raspy, painful voice.

"Ch-Chelsea!?" Lloyd said in reflex. He turned his head to look at her, feeling his cheeks burn at the sudden realization that everyone saw him crying. He scowled at himself, furiously rubbing his eyes. "I'm sorry for being such a cry-baby. I'm sor-"

"Don't apologies for crying. If I wasn't so tired, I'm sure you'd be surprised how much of water I have in my body," she lowly joked. Though, she couldn't tell if she was joking or not. It was too early, (in her mind), to tell. Her eyes were closed as she titled her head back on the pillow, sighing heavily. "But don't worry about Eltanse. We'll beat her."

The Green Ninja propped himself on his elbows. His brows furrowed in confusion, head shaking. "How are you so sure!? A-aren't you the least bit scared!?" he shouted, unable to understand how the other could be so calm.

"Lloyd, you need to calm down. You're head," Nya reminded.

He ignored the plea. "Chelsea, you almost-_no , you died. _You weren't breathing. You were smashed face first into the side of a cave, twice. You haven't been a ninja for two months and you've almost really died. It doesn't even seem like it bothers you!" Lloyd let more tears fall over his cheeks. "I-I don't understand! I just don't!" He buried his face into his hands, trembling from the pounding against this skull, from keeping in his sobs.

Chelsea's eyes opened from the profession. Her eyes traveled over to the green-clad teen, chocolate irises drowned in empathy. "Lloyd?" she softly called out. "Can I tell you something?"

Slowly, watery verdant eyes revealed themselves to warm brown ones.

"I'm terrified. Everything that's happened so far has been so overwhelming. It's kind of hard to believe just a month ago, I was studying for my sociology test," she smiled tiredly. "But honestly, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than here, ribs messed up and everything."

Lloyd's eyes widened and his mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out.

Chelsea faced the ceiling, swallowing to moisten her throat. "Yeah, I feel like my chest is going to explode from fear and I hadn't realized how much pain I'd face when I agreed to be a ninja, but y'know what? If it's for the good in this world, I'd give my life any day. I can't believe I just said that, but I wouldn't say it to you if it weren't true. When I was smashed against the cave wall, I realized three things.

"One: I'm now terrified of octopi. Two: Eltanse is a real bitch for doing that," she muttered earning a few short chuckles, "And three: The more frightened you are, the more courageous you are for standing up to the thing causing the fear." Chelsea looked at the boy once again. "Lloyd, you are the bravest person I have ever met in my entire life. You're what? Fifteen? And you're fighting against giant ugly octopi to save people you don't even know. At fifteen I saw a spider the size of my pinkie toe in my room and fainted."

The kunoichi stared at verdant irises with a straight face before feeling her bottom lip tremble. When she heard laughter burst out from behind her, Chelsea couldn't help but let out laughs of her own. Her eyes squinted in both pain and humor. Lloyd couldn't help but join in, letting his fear and anger slip from his mind for a moment. The room's tension had been cut in half with the laughter from the beaten warriors.

"You really fainted from a tiny spider?" Jay howled, holding his stomach.

Chelsea tried to act attacked but couldn't hold back the smiled threatening to split her face in half. "H-hey! I have severe arachnophobia!"

"It's just a spider," Cole snickered.

"Those things are creepy."

"Wimp," Kai said, gaining surprised glances.

"Kai, you're awake!" Nya exclaimed happily.

The Grey Ninja gave the fiery man a playfully dirty look, pursing her lips. Kai met her glare and gave a cheeky smile, wincing at the pain coursing through his body. "Yeah, who gave you permission to wake up because I sure as hell didn't?" Chelsea stuck her tongue out.

The Red Ninja only gave her an egotistical grin. "What? I saved your life. Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Nope."

Jay coughed in his fist dramatically. "Actually, I believe Zane was the one who gave her CPR. As far as I'm concerned, you were passed out on the sand," he teased.

Kai's head snapped over to Jay and gave him a playful glare. "If I didn't cut that octopus in half, Zane wouldn't have even been able to-" he paused. A sudden mischievous smirk fell on his bruised lips as he gave the innocent nindroid a devilish gander. "Was it mouth-to-mouth?" he asked.

Zane blinked in confusion but answered. "Yes, but I don't understand why-"

Kai whistled. "Zane, who knew you had it in ya!? I didn't know you moved so fast! And look, he looks so innocent. So how was it? Details, _please_."

In horror, Chelsea gaped. Anger ripped through her and she shouted, "Excuse me!?"

While the kunoichi threw insults and lectures at the spiky-haired man, all he did in return was give a taunting smirk, his amber eyes resting on the really confused nindroid. Zane didn't really have the energy to try and figure out the underlying messages of the Fire Ninja's words so he answered honestly. "Well, it is just a matter of attaching the lips together and-"

"How'd they taste?" he probed.

Lloyd gave a sigh. "Really Kai?"

"He saved my life and you wanna make jokes!?" Chelsea exclaimed. As Kai and Jay laughed, Kai completely ignoring the stinging pain in his abdomen, searing anger ran through the Grey Ninja's veins. She forgot about her ribs and swollen knee and went to move herself up but when the overwhelming sensation of being stabbed…well, stabbed her, she fell back down dropping the f-bomb, loudly. This only caused the fire and lightning wielders to howl in laughter. Nya sheepishly smiled as she tried to calm the dark-skinned woman down.

"It-" the Ice Ninja started.

"Zane, _do not_ answer that," Cole growled irritably. His eyes glowed with contained rage, which the nindroid also couldn't understand as to why, but kept quiet as the muscular man lectured him about when and when not to answer certain questions.

While the bickering went on, it had become unknown to them that the fright that had once lived in their heart had completely dissipated. The tragic memories of their past battle fleeted their minds, allowing peace to settle in its place. Even if it was for a moment, they took this moment to act their age and taunt with one another like old friends. It was truly relieving no matter how small it seemed.

As they continued on, going at each other's throats, verbally, the room began to brighten unexpectedly. Unbeknownst to them, the emeralds that had been placed on a table in the corner glimmered with light. Patient rivers of light red and grey flowed from the gems, swirling to make a white light, and traveled towards the ninja and samurai. It wrapped around them, gently, like a mother's warm embrace.

Lloyd had been the first one to notice how the room had suddenly turned into a sun room. He blinked. "Guys?" he called out, catching their attention. He looked down at himself to see light wrap around his ankle, traveling up his body, to his head.

At the sight, the others quickly looked down at themselves to see the same thing happening. Jay gave a startled cry. "W-what's happening?"

Nya stared in awe, feeling power course through her once aching body. The pain was fleeting and she was beginning to feel stronger. "It's the emeralds," she breathed, astounded.

Soon enough, each person in the room had been wrapped in an embryo of light, freezing as its embrace soothed their aching bodies. In a matter of seconds, it slowly started to unravel and quietly glide its way back to the emeralds. The light split into two and back into the gems. Then, the emeralds dimmed down to their original colors.

No one moved for the longest time. There was no telling what exactly the Emeralds of Dualism had done to them. But they had to find out soon enough.

Jay frowned in wonder. He looked down at the arm in the cast and moved it a bit. His eyes widened. Nothing. He felt no pain. Carefully, to test the waters, he took off the sling and straightened out his joint. The team watched in amazement as Jay continued to bend and straightened his elbow, not even a wince of pain on his expression. The Blue Ninja took it a step further and leaned his weight on his arms to prop himself up. A joyous laugh left his lips as he was able to sit up and move his legs to the edge of the cot. Leaping off the side, he balanced on his feet and straightened up. His green eyes looked up in pure excitement and he spun around goofily.

"I can walk!" he exclaimed in disbelief, "I can walk!"

From the declaration the others wasted no time in trying out their mobility. In authentic disbelief and amazement they were able to move without pain. No one, no matter how small or large the injuries were before, felt the least bit damaged. Lloyd jumped from foot-to-foot, as if playing hopscotch. He laughed, no longer feeling the headache pounding in his head. Chelsea twirled on the leg that once supported the bruised kneecap and did some stretches. She smiled widely at the fact that it no longer hurt to laugh. Cole asked Zane to slap his back, waiting for the sting of a thousand needles to break out on his tender flesh, but when he only felt the minor sting of the nindroid's hand, he broke out in a large grin, flexing his muscles. Zane also reported that his systems felt recharged and he mentally noted how his chest felt a lot looser, but it wasn't the emeralds' doing. It was just the happiness evident on his family's faces. Nya patted her sides and legs, stretching and feeling nothing but relief. Her verdant eyes peered over to her brother and delectation radiated in her heart as he executed some fighting moves and spun around turning into the infamous twister of fire, Spinjitzu.

"This is awesome!" he shouted, no longer feeling his swollen lips.

"We're back in the game," Jay laughed, giving Cole a mighty high-five.

Zane took the bandages off of his forearm. "It appears these emeralds hold much more power than we could have ever thought."

Chelsea took the emeralds, throwing the red one to Kai. She held it out and gave the beautiful jewel an imperial stare. Her brown eyes looked over to the fiery ninja. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have a feeling these emeralds helped you with defeating the octopus."

Kai caught the jewel and smirked. "You're right. I can't explain it but this emerald empowered me with power I've never felt before. It was like I reached my full potential but…more. It's like I surpassed the power of my full potential by a landslide. I don't remember how I activated its power but it somehow gave me a capability like none other. I just felt so much rage and helplessness and it just…it was like it accepted me as its wielder and helped me defeat the creature," he explained.

Nya placed a hand on his shoulder. They smiled at each other and the dark-haired woman nodded in agreement. "It was amazing, really. All his wounds went away and you could feel the power and passion radiating off of him. He turned into something like…like a fiery angel. And just like that," she snapped her fingers, "the octopus was dead."

"I've never seen anything like it," Lloyd added with a proud grin.

"We need to learn about these emeralds, and train as much as we can with them. Even though we only have two, if we manage to tap into these things, we'll actually have a chance against Eltanse," Cole said in determination.

"We've always had a chance. We just needed to be reminded of it," Zane smiled walking up and standing next to the Grey Kunoichi.

"I couldn't have said it any better Zane," a wise voice said.

The team looked to see their sensei walk in with a smile, his small eyes glimmering with awe. "Sensei Wu," they said, bowing in respect. The old teacher nodded his head in recognition. He was blatantly surprised to see his students up in running when just an a couple hours ago, they could barely walk. He had come to check on them and was grateful to see this no matter how thrown off he was.

"It seems that Kai has locked into the power of his emerald. Even if I, myself, do not fully understand their capabilities, I know we have only scraped the surface of their power. This is where our journey truly begins, my students," he said. The ninja nodded with new profound determination. "We will train to become more familiar with them as we go on. We start tomorrow morning, bright and early. Off to bed, students."

They groaned. Jay gave a whine. "B-but it's only seven-"

"Off to bed!" Sensei Wu chirped and, obediently, they went off. The older Spinjitzu master stared off and smiled, shaking his head.

He was very lucky to have such students.

(0…)

Lloyd waited impatiently to use the bathroom. Cole had been in there for thirty minutes now, claiming he needed to take his time and scrub the dirt off his body. Despite protests, the blonde teen could do nothing but wait and grumble to himself.

Passing by, Chelsea stumbled to her and Nya's bedroom, in her large pajamas. She rubbed her eyes in sleepiness but was suddenly stopped by the Green Ninja. Lloyd tapped her arm and she turned her attention on him.

"Oh, hi, Lloyd. What's up?"

The boy gave the kunoichi a grateful smile even though he felt his cheeks burn from the sudden realization that he was half-naked. "I-I just wanted to thank you for…for cheering me up today," he stuttered. He then let his green eyes gaze back at warm brown in wonder. "Do you really believe I'm the bravest person you've ever met? Or were you just saying that?"

His cheeks reddened even more as she laughed tiredly. He was even more surprised as she embraced him. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it." Chelsea pulled away and gave him a smile. "I'm going to get to bed now. I can't believe we have to get up at six. What is this, high school?" she mumbled, shaking her head.

Lloyd could only give her a sheepish smile in response, scratching the back of his head, but reassurance and courage rose in his person. "You get used to it," he chuckled, "Goodnight Chelsea."

"Goodnight Lloyd."

* * *

_**A/N: It's really late right now so I'm going to make this quick. **_

_**I honestly believe Lloyd is one strong cookie. Putting aside all the time changes to his age, he's somewhere between 10 and 11 and just look at everything he's doing. Let's be real for a moment. I doubt any of us would ever go through what he's been through and come out sane. Once again, I applaud Lloyd. What are your thoughts on him?**_

_**ATTENTION: Kai DOES NOT like Chelsea like that. (That'd be really annoying if I made every guy go after her. I wouldn't be able to continue with the story lol) The interaction between them kinda looks like I-wanna-do-dirty-things-to-you flirting but it's like casual-just-friends flirting! I feel like Kai likes to tease people for their own sanity. They just went through a whole lotta shit and he always seemed like the type of person to make someone angry/upset to distract them from the tough stuff. Also, whiles I'm on this note, I would just like to say, for future reference, that just because a person thinks another person is attractive doesn't mean they are in love with them. That is a BIG no-no. I could walk outside and think five guys are attractive but not once would it cross my mind that I'd want to spend the rest of my life with them. That just doesn't make sense to me so love at first sight WILL NOT happen in my story.**_

_**And about Kai's transformation...imagine what you want but, just so we're clear, he doesn't have wings. I just compared him to an angel because it just fit. I personally thought Kai was pretty badass, but that's just me. I cant wait to write more about the emeralds. They make me really excited. But I do have a hate/love relationship when it comes to harming the characters. But I do not harm characters unless it's for the plot of the story. Unnecessary harm is just annoying.**_

_**That's it and I hope you enjoyed! You guys rock!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**LighteningDanino: Haha XD Same! Thank you. I really tried on Kai's transformation haha. And I am keeping my lips sealed...XD**

**ShadowCinder: Jeez, great analysis. And I looked over Lloyd's part and yeah a bit of it was exaggerated but I'll get it down pat someday XD Thank you so much!**

_**Thank you so much for the reviews. They mean a lot. Keep 'em coming!**_

**Disclaimer: All Ninjago characters belong to Lego. All OCs and concepts belong to me.**

* * *

_"__All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.__"_

_—__Martin Buber_

* * *

Chapter 5

**_? ? ?_**

In a world where the moon took the sun's place inhabited only those who could not bear light. It was a place where the only color that ever existed was black. Here, light didn't dare step a foot in the Godforsaken place for it was afraid even the slightest touch would corrupt all its good.

Taking slow and graceful steps, the dark deity made her way to her throne. Somehow, her ebony attire was darker than her surroundings. It was such a deep contrast to her pale skin that she appeared to be the only light source in this dark world. Though light, there was still something sick and eidolic about it. Her eerie footsteps, which sounded like tiny pins tapping against glass, made the Shadow Soldiers surrounding her bow as she passed by. As soon as she reached her throne, she delicately sat herself on the royal black chair, her straight back pushing against the dark crimson cushion. It was such a gentle motion; it seemed out of place coming from the cadaverous queen.

Shifting out of the shadows, a dark figure solidified. In a matter of seconds the figure stood tall and strong by the Shadow Queen, his black shiny sword glinting from her white skin. He looked nothing like the Shadow Soldiers, but he was their leader—under the queen. He was human…or as human as a shadow could be. Bearing grey smooth pale flesh, the man was dressed in a black tuxedo, black dress shoes, and a grey tie. On top of his head was thick, tidy, black coffered hair. His eyes were a startling red, piercing through the darkness. He was appeared young and handsome, supporting a lean but strong build, a chiseled jaw and beautifully haunting eyes.

"I am glad you have returned safely my queen," he stated with a stoic and deep voice.

Eltanse only crossed her legs, gazing with boredom at the ball of her staff. "I am glad you didn't interfere. I thought I told you not to come along?" she said with lightness.

The man only blinked, his crimson irises staying on the abundant amount of soldiers amongst them. "I had to ensure your safety," he said. He had ended on a trailing tone causing Eltanse's ruby lips to spread subtly.

"You have a question," she confirmed.

"Forgive me for I do not mean to question your actions, but I do not understand why you didn't kill the ninja. After the red one collapsed, it would've been easy to wipe them out then."

Eltanse let a short chuckle leave her lips, fangs glinting in an amused smile. "Oh Jasper, sometimes you still act as old as you look," she placed her sharp chin in her hand, "I do not want to kill the ninja right away. They will find the emeralds easier than we would."

Understanding glimmered in his eyes and Jasper bowed his head. "Forgive my ignorance-"

"You had a question. There isn't anything ignorant about questions. I am not that wicked," she grinned maliciously.

Jasper nodded. "Then I have another one. How will we get the emeralds if we do not plan to kill any the ninja? As they collect the emeralds they get stronger and closer to unlocking its full power. With all of them combined, I fear we will stand no chance and will possibly be wiped out," he explained, this time, letting his crimson irises lie on her relaxed figure.

"When I have all those emeralds, and able to turn you fully human, I know you will make a fabulous husband Jasper. You worry a lot which is not always a bad thing," Eltanse smirked. She twirled her staff, the crystal ball glowing subtly. "The Emeralds of Dualism are very powerful gems. Those arrogant children do not understand the incomprehensible power of which they posses. The power the red one used was simply a fraction of its full potential. It will take years before they are fully able to tap into their power but unfortunately for them, they do not have that kind of time."

"So what do we do?"

Images and movies of the Red Ninja's transformation and battle with the morphed octopus glowed within the tiny white ball. "We study them. In order to deceive them, we need to understand them first. So for now, as we try and 'steal' the emeralds, we patiently wait for them to hand them to us."

Jasper raised a shaped brow. "I still do not understand."

Eltanse grinned wickedly, her greenish-yellow eyes glowing murderously. Her deep, low, chuckle rumbled through the shadows of the palace. "All in due time Jasper. All in due time."

* * *

**_Chelsea: Training—7:15 a.m._**

This was bound to be embarrassing.

If it weren't for the sheer will power coursing through her veins, Chelsea was sure her stomach's tremors would've reduced her to a pathetic puddle of doubt.

After stretches came training and the Grey Ninja hadn't realized fully realized that she would be training in front of highly skilled ninja. Yeah, the first time around was training but she was just showing them what she knew and working on archery which none of them knew much about. They were all in the same boat, but now things were different. All of a sudden, the group separated into groups of two for hand-to-hand combat (which she sucked at, might I add) for warm-up. Cole was partnered up with Lloyd, Zane with Jay, leaving Chelsea with Kai.

She honestly wished she had gotten Lloyd or Zane.

When the fiery ninja took a fighting stance, giving the nervous woman a smug look, Chelsea felt her cheeks warm up in embarrassment and nervousness. "Just come at me. I won't get mad at you. I'll even go easy on you so I don't mess up your hair," he teased.

Chelsea mentally cursed because at that very moment, for some reason, she blanked out. Nothing was there. She had forgotten everything she's ever learned. She didn't really know if it was just because she was suddenly put on the spot or if it was just Kai's taunting demeanor, but the Shadow Ninja felt the butterflies in her stomach turn into rabid hornets. As much as she would've loved to just back out or at tell the Fire Ninja to go easy on her that would only attract attention from the other ninja sparring. And that would only result in more embarrassment.

Nursing her weeping ego, that was sure to be severely bruised by the end of this, Chelsea sighed heavily and put on a mask of effrontery. "I don't take sexism very well, shorty," she retorted, teasing the average-sized man of his height. She was happy to see Kai bristle over the comment. In truth, Kai wasn't short, Chelsea was just tall. She just found that it was a touchy subject for him for some reason; they were the same height anyway so she didn't understand but it's whatever.

"Alright, enough chit-chat princess," he stuck his arms in defense. "Try to hit my stomach," he said.

Chelsea grounded herself and nodded obediently. Pushing away her disquietude, she stuck her arms up and the two started to circle each other. As the kunoichi stepped her right foot over her left, Kai mirrored her movements oppositely. Soon enough, Chelsea built up enough courage to move forward, silently praying she wouldn't trip over her own feet. Pulling back her fist, she aimed for an open spot on Kai's healed ribs.

The ninja had seen this coming from a mile away and blocked her punch instantly. He noted how the attack wasn't forceful at all. He barely felt her fist punch his forearm. Chelsea grunted from the contact and then moved her other arm back to hit him. Kai easily blocked it and saw her abdomen was left exposed. Quickly, he went to kick her side (not too hard of course) but was surprised to see that she leapt back, forcefully throwing both their arms down. The tip of his foot did graze the top side of her thigh, but other than that, he hadn't been able to land a blow.

Again, the two steadied themselves and raised their arms in defense. Amber eyes flickered, silently signing for the owner of the warm brown irises to make the move. Taking the invitation, Chelsea, again, charged forward. This time, she abruptly paused, acting as if she would kick with her left foot, then spun halfway and attacking with a good back kick. Kai ducked under the kick before spinning around and grabbing her ankle. He smirked as Chelsea froze, minor horror dripping off her expression. Swiftly, the spiky-haired man yanked her leg forward causing the dark-skinned woman to yelp in pain as she landed with a hard thud on her back.

Kai couldn't hold back the satisfied smirk growing on his coral lips as he observed her rub her head in pain.

"Well that freaking hurt," Chelsea muttered, wincing as she passed over a sore spot on the back of her head. She looked up to see Kai stick his hand out. She gladly took it, grimacing at the soreness shooting through her back.

"You alright? That was a pretty hard fall. I don't want you too banged up," he cheekily smiled.

Chelsea gave him a look before rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks for asking. You're too kind," she sarcastically said. She grinned, letting a chuckle roll past her lips. Chelsea let herself envision her fall moments ago and couldn't help but laugh. She was pretty surprised the Fire Ninja wasn't laughing right now because she knew if she saw someone fall like she did she would be on the ground. But then again, she was mean so…

"So how'd I do?" she asked preparing herself for the certainly horrid answer.

Kai shrugged. "Not too bad. You just need to realize your time. When I caught your foot I gave you more than enough time to do something to get out of that position, but you froze. You can't freeze up no matter how scary the situation. You have to be alert at all times."

Chelsea nodded and gave him a thank you. Kai nodded but then said, "Also, I wanna see something." He put his gloved hands up. "I want you to just keep punching my hands, okay?"

Obediently, the girl-ninja lifted her fists and jabbed at the hands in front of her. At first, her hits were light and hesitant, to Kai's displeasure. He scowled and looked at her tentative expression. "Harder! Don't worry about if it hurts me. Just punch with all you've got," he encouraged. Just as he expected, he saw her gulp, her eyes glimmering in uncertainty before nodding firmly. Chelsea gritted her teeth and punched harder, pulling her fists back and jabbing with more force.

Kai started to move back, testing her durability and mobility. He then dropped one hand, shouting, "Left!" Chelsea punched with her left fist, aiming for his right hand. "Right!" She did the same except with her opposite hand.

"Now block my punches and try to land one on me and this time, don't hold back," he hurriedly said before unexpectedly dropping his hand and dodging a fist. Kai then began jabbing at her and Chelsea repeatedly blocked them with her forearms, sometimes dodging them completely.

"No, don't avoid. If you can't block, then you'll have to take the hit," he scolded.

His punches were now flying at her and Chelsea was having a hard time blocking them. She was nicked on her jaw a few times but because of the adrenaline rush, she was able to bounce back, swinging her own fists when she could. Kai advanced on her, making the Grey Kunoichi step back, punching and blocking. Chelsea was starting to run out of breathe and she was silently wondering when this sparring match would be over.

"Stop concentrating on where you'll hit me and focus more on how hard you hit."

A hand came flying out of nowhere and hit her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She really hadn't expected the ninja to actually hurt her so it came as a huge shock. Her eyes widened and she immediately felt offended. Chelsea didn't know where this sudden anger came from but it had attacked her system and caused her eyes to light aflame. Pulling her fist back, she delivered an uppercut and strongly landed it on the bottom of Kai's jaw making him stumble back in surprise.

Finally, the session was over and the two stood in their spots. Chelsea held her aching stomach, panting, sweat dripping off her temples. Kai just stared at the exhausted woman with a surprised smile, rubbing where her fist had connected to his face.

"Good job, Chels! That was the hardest punch you've ever landed on me. See, if you just attack without holding back, you're golden," he cheered. Kai walked over to the ninja and put a supporting hand on her back.

The new ninja tried to give him a smile but was too winded. "D-did I hurt you too bad?" she wheezed.

Kai laughed and helped her straighten up. "You're good. Did I hurt _you_ too bad?" he countered.

Catching her breath and feeling the dull pain fade away, Chelsea shook her head. She thanked him softly before gaining a fierce look in her eyes. She shoved Kai's shoulders back and gave him a playfully dirty glare. "That was for punching me in the gut. Dude, don't you know I have stomach problems!?"

"Aww my poor baby. Do you need daddy to kiss it better?" Chelsea gave him a disgusted grunt as he made obnoxious kissy faces and noises. But in all good humor, the two laughed it off.

Chelsea shook her head and stretched out her back. She was thankful she had her hair up in a bun because she knew she wouldn't be too comfortable with the ebony strands sticking on her sweaty neck. At least the wind was helping to keep her cool. Playing with the fake pearl earring in her left earlobe she turned to Kai. "What now?"

The brunette placed his hands on his hips, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Hey, why don't we work on your Spinjitzu?" he stepped back, "Show me what you've got."

Kai was thoroughly surprised to see the Grey Ninja nervously play with the hem of her t-shirt. Chelsea's lips were pushed to one side and she gave him a sheepish look. "You haven't learned Spinjitzu yet?"

"Nope."

He sighed. "You've got a lot of learning to do." Chelsea rolled her eyes but said nothing. "Did sensei tell you anything about it?"

"Yeah. He said something about how I would have to find it within myself to actually execute it. Y'know how he is, the mysterious guy. But that's all I remember because while he was talking, there was a really nice sandwich behind him and I was hungry and things just weren't processing," she admitted nonchalantly.

Even though he was slightly annoyed at the confession, Kai couldn't find it in himself to scold her for the oddly idiotic behavior. Instead, he shook his head and gave a short chuckle. The red ninja ran his fingers through his messy hair. "Nice."

"I try."

"I don't think I can teach you by myself because it just comes naturally now." Kai shrugged and turned to the others sparring. "Hey guys! I need your help," he shouted. Almost immediately, the other pairs stopped what they were doing. Lloyd stopped in mid air, dropping to the ground while Jay was hit in the face by Zane's foot. The blue ninja groaned but shook it off as he followed the others to where Kai and Chelsea were.

Chelsea could've strangled Kai if she still didn't feel too winded from that punch. She was not one for attention. She really didn't appreciate the fact that he called over everyone to watch as she tried to perform a move she had yet to perfect. Of course she had practiced herself during the month before, but she couldn't quite get it so she just ignored it for a bit. But now, Kai had just set her up for more embarrassment. Chelsea knew she would not get the move right and would fall on her butt like she did the other times. Honestly, she wouldn't have minded if she fell in front of just Kai because she was starting to get comfortable with him, but he just ruined that. Now, Kai invited everyone to watch her fail.

_Beautiful. _

"What's up?" Cole asked.

"How'd we teach Lloyd Spinjitzu?" Kai inquired. "Chels can't do it yet and I forget how we even learned it."

"I don't remember myself," Lloyd shrugged.

"It is all up to her. Spinjitzu cannot be physically taught. It comes from inside the person," Zane explained.

Chelsea sighed. _Well that's just great. How am I supposed to find it in myself to do Spinjitzu? Do I feel it or something?_

"Then I guess you're just going to have to try and we'll help as much as we can," Kai summarized.

The group looked at the woman who stared off in thought, a mildly pissed off look on her features. The grey ninja felt her cheeks burn from the attention and was very thankful she couldn't blush. So what was she supposed to do? Spin around until she somehow transformed into a tornado? How did that even happen? She'd trip over her own two feet just from the dizziness. Chelsea was sure she'd look foolish.

Looking back at the group sheepishly, she scratched the nape of her neck. "Could one of you demonstrate? Please? Maybe if I see it up close, I'll get it."

"I'll do it," Jay volunteered. The others stepped back and Chelsea followed their movements. The blue ninja wore a smile and lifted his right foot up in preparation. "Ninjaaaaa-" he started before leaping six inches in the air and instantly transforming into beautiful winds of blue, "Gooooo!" Lightning bolts surrounded him as he spun with purpose, creating a bit of breeze. A couple of seconds had gone by and the red-head stopped, easily landing back on his feet. He walked towards the group, smacking invisible dust off his hands. "That's it. Easy enough, right?"

Chelsea blinked, giving him an 'are you serious?' look. She pointed at the spot where he had just done the legendary move. "You mean I have to yell that in order for it to work?"

Jay paused, a thoughtful look on his face. He shrugged. "Well, I don't think so, but it adds finesse so you have to do it. It's a trademark," he argued. The others nodded in agreement.

The kunoichi gave an uncomfortable groan.

Oi vey.

* * *

**_Nya _**

After breakfast, Nya had declared she wanted to keep an eye on the emerald tracker since they were about to fly over the Gorki Mountains. She claimed there was a good chance one of the emeralds could be around here and she didn't want them to miss it. It was a considerably reasonable excuse to skip training and sensei had allowed it to her pleasure. Sure she felt a bit of guilt when Chelsea gave her a pleading look as she was whisked away to the desk, eyes still puffy from sleep, but Nya quickly got over it.

Life wasn't fair. Oh well.

Besides, it wasn't like Nya was required to join in. Technically, she wasn't even obligated to wake up at the same time as the ninja, but she couldn't miss out on all the training sessions. She's learned so much from just watching and, when the ninja allowed her to, training. It proved useful in many cases and Nya was pretty proud of herself for using her own grit and abilities when she saved the ninja more than once.

Proves that girls can fight too.

Traveling over to the large green screen, her light verdant eyes watched as the white line circled around the screen endlessly. Each time it made a full circle, it pulsated, letting the short woman know it was actively working. Nya let her chin rest in her hand in slight boredom. Maybe it would've been better if she had just joined the ninja in their early-morning training session. Yeah, it would've been a chore sluggishly trying to punch one of them in the face, but it would be much more entertaining than staring a computer screen for who knows how long. Her brain told her to just forget this and go out there and work on a few moves but her body said stay here and catch up on some sleep she'd missed from the night before.

Nya didn't get much sleep from last night. In addition to talking to Chelsea about random things, glad to have a roommate to keep her company, the young woman couldn't get the Emeralds of Dualism out of her head. She had never seen or heard anything remotely similar to these gems and she had a feeling not many had either. They had proved that their ancient power was very useful and magnificent. It had turned her brother into a fairy-tale warrior in a matter of seconds and had also healed all of their injuries to perfection without any of them having to try and provoke it. It was almost as if the emeralds had a mind of their own, watching over them as they continued on with their journey. Nya laughed at the thought. Maybe she was a bit off with that theory but it helped her feel a bit safer. Their current enemy had sent tremors through all of them and at this point, if she wanted to think the emeralds were some type of guardian angel, then so be it.

For the rest of the night she wondered about what would happen if all the emeralds would come together. Sensei Wu said that they were used in a war between the Heavens and hell. Their power was incomprehensible and no one really knew what would happen when their full power was unlocked. Would the seven prophesied ninja turn into their powerful ancestors? Who was the seventh ninja? Surely Eltanse would be defeated, but what would happen after that? Sensei Wu also mentioned that the Emeralds of Dualism were too dangerous to exist on the same plane. They would have to do something about the jewels because as soon as the most threatening evil fell, another one would rise. But that also goes to say, who says they'll defeat Eltanse? She's already proven herself to be a powerful queen of something that was a part of life. Who knows what she's really aiming for. As far as Nya's concerned, they still don't even know why the evil deity wants the emeralds.

Beep. Beep.

Green eyes widened in surprise at the sudden sound. Nya shook her head and stood up quickly. The large screen had momentarily blacked out and she typed in the password to show the green screen again. Northwest of the center of the tracker was a white dot. The signal was light, but the device had detected it.

They had found their next emerald.

She typed in a few commands and the device centered in on the relative location of the jewel. Nya waited as it calculated the site and then wrote down the coordinates on a piece of paper. She hurried to the deck to tell the others.

Once she opened the door to the top deck of the flying ship, wind hit her smack on the face. Her dark hair whipped around her face and she winced when a strand got in her eye. She forgot the Gorki Mountains were pretty windy. Pulling the hair out of her eye, she tucked the paper safely in her pocket. Her eyes narrowed from the wind and she couldn't help but laugh at what she saw.

The skilled samurai saw the newest addition to the team spin around crazily. Chelsea spun with speed and when she noticed how fast she was spinning, started to shout out in fright. She was a blur of grey before she bumped into Cole who caught her before she fell. The kunoichi thanked the muscular man, her face looking a bit green from motion sickness. Lloyd and Kai snickered from the funny scene and Jay firmly placed his hands on his hips lecturing on about how she had to say 'Ninja-Go' otherwise it wouldn't be the same. Zane only smiled politely but it was obvious to Nya he was trying to hold back his giggles.

"I think I'll try again," she gulped, holding her hand to her mouth, "tomorrow," she managed to spit out.

Deciding to make her presence known, Nya walked forward. "Hey guys. How's training going?" she asked first, enjoying the fact that yesterday's events hadn't appeared to deter the ninja from their goals.

"Fan-" Chelsea moved away from the black-clad ninja, trying to stand up by herself but stumbled from dizziness. Cole's hands grabbed her waist and back immediately.

"Be careful," he articulated.

Chelsea held her hands out to balance. "I'm good. I'm good," she said to the worried man who gave her a comforted smile in return.

Nya looked at Cole with raised brows. The Earth Master caught her chaff gaze and instantaneously blushed. He gave her a look, silently telling her to knock it off, and went back to making sure the Shadow Ninja was okay. Though he grumbled as he saw Nya lift her dark brows repeatedly in his peripheral vision.

"We're making…some progress," Kai chuckled hopelessly, both he and Lloyd shrugging.

Jay looked between Cole and Nya, catching the eye interaction between the two. His face began to turn red from jealousy and anger and he stepped in between their vision. "We're fine. What is it?" he snapped, never intending for his ticked off attitude to show.

Nya caught the sharp attitude and she scowled. She didn't appreciate the rude tone. Jay's blue eyes were dark as they met angered emeralds. A short game of 'stare the other down' played out before they both huffed and look away. The pale woman gave him one last dirty glare before pulling out the paper and telling them her reason for coming out here.

"The next emerald has been detected. It's somewhere on Glory Mountain," she said.

Zane's pale eyes glowed in recognition. "That's the biggest mountain in the Gorki Mountains. It is about 20,000 feet above sea-level and exceptionally windy," he stated. "We must be extremely careful if we plan to climb it."

"We have to go searching for another emerald already?" Lloyd whined. "We just found one yesterday. Can't we just wait till tomorrow?"

Sensei Wu's chuckle attracted attention from the others. "Like your father once said to me, never put off tomorrow, what can be done today, dear nephew. We need to collect those emeralds as fast as we can."

The teen groaned but muttered, "Yes sensei."

"What is this I hear about another emerald?"

"Nya says there's another on Glory Mountain. So I guess we're heading off over there today," Kai explained.

"But we can't just climb the mountain without some type of equipment. We'd fall off sooner or later. Like Zane said, it's really windy and dangerous," Jay pointed out not liking the idea of having to go rock climbing at all.

The old man only smiled and took a sip out of his tea. "It is a good thing I have some rope and graveling hooks for each of you."

Jay sighed, disheartened. "Of course you do."

"Kai, Chelsea, have you two tried anything with the emeralds yet?"

The two looked at each other before bowing their heads a bit. "No," they answered.

"You must make time to train with them. It is important we try and learn as much as we can. They will aid us greatly against Eltanse in future battles. I hope she doesn't show up today," he scolded. His pupils looked down in slight embarrassment before bowing and replying with, "Yes sensei."

Wu nodded. "Alright then. I will give you some time to prepare but meet back here no later than ten. We must start searching."

The group of seven bowed and their teacher left without another word. Nya eyes landed on pale skin and blue eyes. Her expression darkened once again and before Jay could say anything she promptly turned on her heel and stormed off the deck and back into the inner walls of the Bounty. She didn't want to be in the red-head's presence if all he was going to do was be rude towards her when she's done nothing. The Lightning Ninja's reaction was much like hers. Jay gritted his teeth, his fists tightening by his sides. He too stormed off the deck and slammed the door behind him.

The other left looked at where the two stormed off. Giving each other a peculiar look, they shrugged.

"Uh…did I miss something?" Kai scratched his head wondering how the usually happy-go-lucky couple (kinda) was so grumpy at each other.

"They were fine last night," Cole said, raising a thick brow.

"Perhaps Nya touched one of Jay's machines," Zane suggested.

"It's just love…I guess," Chelsea said with uncertainty. She too was a bit confused and planned on asking Nya about it later.

Lloyd shook his head. "I'll never get those two."

* * *

_**A/N: Jasper is basically depicted after Zayn from One Direction. Happy birthday to him! No one can convince me he's human. He's so beautiful wtf XD **_

_**The Gorki Mountains do not exist (at least I'm sure they don't) and Glory Mountain doesn't either. It's all made up, I promise. Anyway, how'd you like it? This chapter was short compared to the others but it was a nice break. Also, this was a honestly a filler chapter. It was pretty hard to write and I won't lie to myself, it sucked. There was so much dialogue and that makes me uncomfortable for some reason. But whatever. We must go on!**_

_**Not much to say other than writing sparring scenes is a lot harder than it looks.**_

_**I'll come back and edit this. I just have to find my reading glasses :P**_

_**I hope you enjoyed it and tell me what you think!**_

_**Thank you!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Update!**_

_**Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. I really appreciate and it encourages me to keeep writing. Keep doing you and be proud of your interests. This is really random but I experianced something not too long ago and I want to let you guys know that even though I'm a complete stranger, you guys can talk to me about anything if need be. i can listen if that's all you need and if you really want someone to talk to-even if it's about nothing at all-I'll be glad to. I love you.**_

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

_"There is scarcely any passion without struggle." _  
_― Albert Camus_

* * *

Chapter 6

_**Glory Mountain**_

So Cole was really good at rock climbing.

Go figure. The guy looked like a mini version of hulk. No one was really complaining as he leapt ahead, springing up the rocky mountain as if they were playing a simple game of hopscotch. If this sorry excuse for an enjoyable activity was what he called fun, then who were they to diminish his happiness?

But he didn't need to rub it in.

Sorry but some people weren't two-hundred pounds of pure muscle, okay? There was no need to laugh if the others trailed behind. His teasing did not help anything. It was getting cold, their hands were hurting, and the rope attached to their waist was giving the rest of the ninja and samurai serious rope burn. They couldn't all be good at everything. They might be the heroes of this world, but that didn't mean climbing 20,000 feet of rock was easy.

Unless you were Cole that is.

"Do you guys want to get the emerald _today_?" the dark-haired man shouted, a taunting smile on his lips. This was really fun for him. Not only was he able to rightfully proclaim the title for the best, but the looks on Kai and Jay's faces were just helping this day become even greater.

Aggravation couldn't even begin to explain the scorching hot temper that flamed in the red and blue ninja's chest. Okay, so maybe the lack of activity had lowered their stamina and, yeah, Cole was admittedly the best rock climber out of all of them, but was he seriously going to stomp it in their face? This was the third time the Earth Ninja had reprimanded them teasingly in a matter of ten minutes. If he didn't cool it Kai and Jay would have no problem making sure he wouldn't be climbing rocks for a long time.

"Hey, you wanna do me a favor and shut your trap? Thanks," the Lightning Master sneered, grabbing the edge of rock with his sore hands.

Kai pulled on the rope, heaving himself up. "I swear on the life of the Overlord if this guy says one more thing…" he grumbled.

Cole leaped onto another mini cliff, standing upon the sturdy edge were the graveling hooks dug into and looking down at his struggling teammates. Red and blue were climbing at about the same rate, grumbling and spitting out curses that the Black Ninja could clearly hear. Behind them was Zane and Lloyd who climbed on without much complaint and behind him was Nya and Chelsea, the latter looking as if she despised all that was known to mankind.

Moppy black hair was thrown about in the constant breeze. "Oh come on. Even the girls aren't sweating as much as you guys."

Nya's verdant eyes glared at the muscular man above, standing so proudly. She'd love to be the first one to wipe that cocky grin off his stupid face. "What's that supposed to mean?" she grunted, wincing as hard rocked rubbed against her clothed knee. Why the hell didn't she just stay on the Bounty? She wasn't a ninja. She didn't need this.

"How the hell am I supposed to sweat if I can't even feel my freaking face?" the Grey Kunoichi growled to herself though Nya could hear just fine. She could also hear how much the woman wanted to replace certain words with much colorful vocabulary but made the decision to hold back on it. Nya really didn't understand why though. She was for anything at this point.

"What was that!?" Cole asked, placing his hands on the sides of his mouth.

Chelsea squeezed her eyes shut as a powerful breeze flew by, catching her off guard. When it passed she blinked, gripping her rope, and giving the team leader a dirty look. "Nothing," she snapped.

Cole scratched the back of his head and shrugged indifferently. "Well, okay then," he muttered to himself. He tilted his head back, narrowing his eyes as the sun slid out from behind the tip of the mountain. About a few feet to the left, a bit above them, was a plateau cut inside the mountain. If they wanted to thoroughly search for the emerald, they would have to look at each corner and crevice of it. "There's a large flat area over there," he pointed, "Meet me up there and don't take too long. We have to hurry!" With that, he leapt up and continued on with ease, not even needing the rope.

"We'll be there in a couple minutes!" Lloyd sighed. He too was getting a bit annoyed with the avid climber but there was no use in trying to pick a fight, so he just kept quiet and traveled along.

"We would have to climb at extreme speeds if we plan on arriving on the plateau in just-"

"I wasn't being literal Zane," the blonde teen said with an unintentional huff.

The nindroid nodded his head once, taking in the comment, remembering it for the future. He calmly went on climbing, allowing the Green Ninja to move in front of him.

Up on the large piece of flat land, the Earth Master observed that a small cave lied ahead. It wasn't very exciting or anything. Just a massive rock that had been eroded so much it hovered over more rock. The wind had picked up a bit and he was getting a bit chilly. Even under the decent warmth provided by his normal attire consisting of his ebony gi, his tan skin was starting to pale. Cole didn't really get cold that easily so it was kind of surprising to him. But the sun that floated brightly above him did provide some heat.

Behind him he heard the graveling hooks move out of the dark stone. Cole turned around to see the rest of the team; some of them helping others up and some taking the pieces of metal out and un-wrapping the rope from around their waists.

"So now what?" Jay asked, walking up to Cole.

The Black Ninja set his equipment by a medium-sized stone, the others doing the same. "We look in that cave and if we find nothing, we go on to the next ones over there," he pointed to two larger caves further above. They were more prominent and resting on the very edges of the stone.

"Sounds like a plan."

Leading on, the group headed into the small cave and searched for another emerald. Unfortunately, they nothing of the sort—just more rock and jagged stone. Zane was intrigued to find dark purple icicle-type shards hanging from the ceiling. Chelsea was very displeased to find a couple spiders crawling around and squeaked in fright when a particularly large one ran up the side of the wall, by her face. Lloyd only groaned in irritation as his shoulders were gripped tightly by the older woman.

"Well there's nothing here," Nya stated, turning over a large pebble by a wall.

"Let's move on," Kai grunted.

…

On they went, struggling onwards to the third cave in sight. With their graveling hooks securely in the rock—thanks to Cole—the ones who needed to used the rope to climb up the steep hills. Their hands were starting to redden, sore from the rough contact.

It was starting to get a bit too windy for the Blue Ninja's comfort. Honestly, he didn't weigh that much. In fact, out of all the male ninja, he was the smallest possibly rivaling Lloyd. He was even sure Chelsea weighed more than him considering her height and figure. As depressing as that was for him, he usually never thought much of it but at times like this, it was quite a downer.

As the wind's force and speed increased as they climbed, it was getting harder to actually move. In addition to the balls of his feet having a hard time gripping the stone, the harsh breeze was making it hard to stay in one spot. It was—literally—pushing him. This of course caused him to slow down a bit, but he wasn't too embarrassed. If he wasn't mistaken, it looked like most of the others were struggling against the current weather conditions also.

Kai was gritting his teeth, trying not to let his struggle show on his face. Lloyd had been pushed to the side a bit but was able to quickly regain his composure and go on, no matter how hard the wind blew. Chelsea really looked like she was struggling. She completely lost her footing giving a small yelp. Zane, who was doing just fine, jumped back and quickly helped her onto her feet. Of course Cole was ahead of them, but the red-haired man could tell his initial speed was slowing also.

Lastly, dark blue eyes landed upon the petite dark-haired girl that climbed upon the gravely rock without a problem. The wind blew her ebony short hair messily about her head and Jay couldn't help but to think that she looked like a goddess; Athena to be exact. Each time her hands traveled up the rope, gripping onto the rough material, her arms tensed to pull her up and even through the red long sleeves of her shirt, he could see the lean muscle. She bit her cherry lip her right leg traveled upwards, heaving her up. Her jade irises glowed through her dark hair as she stared up in determination.

Nya looked like the embodiment of a warrior who was also a queen mixed in with some type of deity.

How could someone look so beautiful while doing something that required such labor?

Jay looked away and continued on with his task. He shook his head half-trying to rid of the foreboding thoughts and half-trying to get his hair out of his eyes. If he were to let his thoughts get the best of him, he'd forget why he and the fiery ninja's sister weren't on good terms as of now.

Well, actually, he didn't know why either—but that didn't matter.

Nya was acting like a straight up jerk to him, for no reason whatsoever. So if she thought it was okay, then it was 100% acceptable to act the same way. Ever since Eltanse showed her ugly face, things between them had taken an unexpected turn for the worst. Jay didn't know what he did but if she was trying to get a point across, it didn't need to involve Cole. They already settled things between them awhile ago and trying to make him jealous wasn't going to help. He didn't know if she knew, but he was keeping tabs on her. Yeah, maybe he was invading her privacy, but that's what couples (not really anymore he guessed) do…okay?

Jay saw that time when they were whispering to each other in the sick bay, giggling like children. He noticed that she had suddenly decided to sit next to Cole and not him during breakfast, this morning. Also, don't think for a second he didn't catch their flirting about two hours ago. Jay definitely saw Nya eyebrows wiggle at Cole.

_Wiggle. _

How old were they? Twelve? Was this middle school?

Out of everything, that's what set him off the most. Not only did she make the first move, but Cole actually raised his thick_ (ugly) _brows back and blushed. All of this happened right in front of him. Did they not have any modesty? Was he a ghost or something? Was this 'Make Jay so Angry he Could Murder Anyone Day'? Because it sure felt like it!

Usually he'd go straight for Cole and falcon-punch him or something because it was normally his fault. Rocks-for-brains was always trying to aggravate him but, this time, it was Nya. Albeit, he didn't like thinking that the samurai was at fault for anything, he just couldn't ignore it anymore. Every time the two interacted, it was because she started it. Why? It obviously to tick him off and get under his skin because she right after their conversation ended, she'd give him a dirty look and then briskly walked away from him.

It was very rude, and not to mention irritating because she knew how to make him angry.

He also didn't even get why he was being put through this. All he did was ask if she liked cherry pie.

Was that offensive or something?

Suddenly having this sudden energy burst through his muscles, Jay started to increase in speed, his face turning strawberry red from anger. He grumbled under his breath.

"Stupid Nya. Always finding a way to make me mad. I didn't even do anything." Jay grunted as he pulled himself up. "Stupid Cole. Looking like he's on steroids. He needs a haircut anyway."

The wind's speed picked up for a quick second but it was long enough for it to cause him to lose his footing. Jay's breath caught in his throat as the rope tightened around hi thin waist. He gritted his teeth and winced, his fingers gripping at the stone, his legs swinging in the air. Then, a soft hang wrapped around his wrist giving him enough stability to get his feet on the stony wall once again. He looked up to see the girl that was the source of his internal agony.

"Are you okay?" Nya grunted voice flat.

Jay couldn't help but get captivated in her verdant irises. They were just so beautiful; lit with an unquenchable fire and filled to the brim with compassion and-

"I'm fine," he muttered and looked away immediately. The conflicted man roughly snatched his wrist away from her hand.

The Lightning master didn't look up until he heard her make her way up. As soon as he did though, he gritted his teeth and held his head in fury. Why the heck did she have to do that!? Did she really have to help him? Weren't they supposed to be mad at each other? Wasn't she supposed to laugh at him because he was sure he looked pretty funny just dangling there?

No. He would not let her get to him. She was just trying to confuse him and make him feel guilty. It was all Nya's fault this was happening anyway. If she would just tell him what in Ninjago he did for him to receive the cold shoulder, all of this would be over, but instead, she wanted him to figure it out. Jay wasn't afraid to say he was smart.

But he was never educated in the minds of the female population.

It was a subject not one man was able to break down into understandable terms.

Stupid Nya. Stupid Cole. Stupid Eltanse. Stupid Nya. Stupid mountain. Stupid rock. Stupid, pretty, Nya. Stupid emeralds. Stupid, ugly, Cole. Stupid Nya. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stup-

"You okay zaptrap? You look a little red," Cole announced.

Jay only shook his head, cursing explicitly in his head.

He continued his climb, cheeks burning.

* * *

_**Lloyd**_

Nothing was inside the third cave, as expected.

It was safe to say they were a good 10,000 feet above sea level. Other than the terrifying height, the harsh winds, the abnormally chilly temperatures, the popping of the ears, and the fact that their hands and feet ached like hell, they were doing pretty well.

Actually, no.

This was torture.

The only reason why Lloyd hadn't outright collapsed was because Nya had thought ahead and packed small snacks and water bottles for the trip. He would kiss her if he wasn't so tired.

It didn't really help his exhaustion as Cole pointed out another cave nearby. Luckily, it looked like they could walk there instead of having to climb, but still. Lloyd would rather lie down and rest. But no. They couldn't do that because "Eltanse could attack at anytime".

Yeah, okay. Whatever.

Lloyd knew he was being a big baby and a bit melodramatic but he really didn't care. He was way too tired to care. This search would've been a whole lot easier if they had just taken the bounty or their dragons but apparently that would've been even more dangerous. According to Zane, it would be, to put it in simple terms, a complete disaster traveling on the four combined dragons in such harsh winds. Same thing goes with the Bounty. Also, there were too many other mountains surrounding Glory Mountain and the chances of running into one of them was pretty high.

Well, he could see the reasoning in that. Hurting the dragons for no good cause was a bit reckless. They also couldn't risk damaging the Bounty because they wouldn't have a home and wasting time was not an option with the dark deity on the loose, but Lloyd was just so fed up with walking it clouded his better judgment.

"Why is the sun even out if it's this cold?" Chelsea grumbled irritably. She then turned to the burning star, glaring at it. "Don't you have a job to do?" she accused.

It was obvious the Grey Ninja had officially lost her marbles. Lloyd and Nya snickered at the silly accusation but could see where she was coming from. Zane asked her why she was yelling at the sun considering it wasn't a person and then asked if she could communicate with it. That earned him a peculiar look from the 19-year-old, but she just shook her head and told him that she was just tired.

If it weren't for the warm clothing sensei told them to put on, they were sure to freeze to death. Maybe that was a bit dramatic but still. Lloyd was very thankful he wore a green jacket over the long-sleeved shirt he had on. Everyone else either wore a hoodie or a jacket/sweater. Sensei Wu wasn't joking when he said the temperatures would drop a bit up here.

As they walked along, Lloyd looked up at the blue-ish grey sky above them, having nothing else to do. He winced in surprise as he walked straight into Kai's back.

"Huh? What's wrong Kai?" Lloyd said, rubbing his cheek.

"Do you feel that?" the brown-haired man said warily. His amber eyes were narrowed in concentration as he stepped back, his arms and hands tense.

The group looked at him curiously and then looked at the ground. There were slight tremors coming from the dark stone. They were small and unnoticeable but it soon increased. Soon, the ground was shaking so much that it was difficult to stand without stumbling.

"What's going on?" Jay exclaimed, placing a hand on the mountain side.

Slamming onto the ground next to Cole, a huge boulder made a dangerous dent in the stone. Looking up incredulously, dread filled the depths of the group's stomach as ebony warriors crawled down from the top of Glory Mountain.

"Looks like we've got company!" the Earth Ninja shouted over the rumbling.

Rocks of all sizes began to fall from above them thanks to the grotesque Shadow Soldiers. Eltanse appeared to be nowhere in sight but they were certain she had to be around here somewhere. Dodging the rocks as best as they could upon the narrow pathway, the group ran to an area with a wider foundation. There, it would be easier to fight.

The black monsters roared and screeched, babbling nonsense the heroes couldn't understand before lunging at them. Quickly, the ninja changed into suitable attire and fought the soldiers as they came. Due to the limited amount of space, Lloyd found himself bumping into his teammates a lot. It was a major setback because each time they hit one another it would only distract them and allow a Shadow Soldier to attack.

Taking out his elemental blade, Lloyd countered a dark sword heading to slice his face open. Pushing back, he gritted his teeth as he hit the sword out of the soldier's hands and kicked him off the side of the cliff. Taking this chance to run, he followed the others up to the flat area. Once they got there, they were seemingly surrounded by their dark enemies. Holding out their weapons, the group backed into each other, forming a circle, looking like cornered mice.

"Where'd they all come from?" Chelsea scowled.

"I'm more worried about how Eltanse found us again," Cole grunted.

In a moment of silence, everything was still. The ninja and samurai held their breath, waiting for something to happen. It wasn't too long before a loud shriek tore through the air and the Shadow Soldiers ran towards them.

Having a better grip of reality served well for the blonde teen. Now that he knew what he was up against, Lloyd was able to attack with confidence. The Shadow Soldiers were still tough opponents but now he knew what he was dealing with. He plunged his blade a soldier's stomach and then using the leverage to jump up and kick another one in the head. Lloyd took the sword out of the being, ignoring the black blood oozing off of it and countered the attacks of a dark sword.

He stepped back as the monster growled savagely at him, its white fangs gleaming with saliva. A noise of disgust left the ninja's mouth and he was able to free himself from its hold. From behind him another evil soldier charged for his head, with the intent to kill but Lloyd saw it coming. He jumped up, letting it run into the first one. They stumbled back giving the Green Ninja enough time to throw his sword, killing two birds with one stone. The beasts fell ungracefully on top of each other, their bodies slowly vanishing into the air.

Lloyd smirked in satisfaction and walked over to retrieve his sword. Just before he was able to grab it, he was hit in the side. His body harshly hit the stone cold ground and he and an ebony enemy slid towards the edge of the mountain. Grimacing in pain, he wasn't able to see the Shadow Soldier stand up and limp towards him, hissing. It lunged at him and Lloyd's eyes snapped his eyes open as its claws sunk into the ground beside his head. The teen took a hold of the other hand that swiped for his face. Its teeth came dangerously close to throat and it roared inhumanly as Lloyd screamed.

The tip of his head hung over the edge and Lloyd was kicking with all of his might when the black being started to push them over the mountain side. When his entire head hung over the cliff, the Shadow Soldier's head was swiped clean off. Lloyd's green eyes widened as the body fell on top of him. Shaking his head, he pushed it off and slid forwards so his head was on the ground.

"Are you alright Lloyd?" Zane asked.

Black blood stained his gi but it was quickly evaporating. The young ninja nodded his head gratefully and accepted the hand the Polish nindroid offered. Scurrying up to his feet, he was handed his sword.

"Thanks," he panted.

Zane nodded. "We must hurry and help the others," he said.

Lloyd gave a nod and the two hurried over to the others.

* * *

_**Cole**_

Spinning into a tornado of earth, Cole was able to take out three of the horrid soldiers in a matter of seconds. Though, when he stopped, he noticed that more rocks kept sliding off the sides of the mountain. They hit the ground and some of the others had to leap away from the falling rocks.

"If we use our elemental powers too recklessly, it could cause an avalanche, so try your hardest not to use it," he shouted.

The wind kept hounding on them. Cole had to really concentrate in order to get past the strands of ebony hair attacking his eyes. Hearing screeching coming from his left, the Earth Master's scythe met the black sword. The Shadow Soldier shrieked at him, red eyes gleaming ruthlessly.

It brought up its sword, leaving its mid section open. Cole wasted no time in running his blade through the monster's torso. Another one leapt in the air and managed to land a blow on him. Its sword skimmed the top of his arm, cutting through the black material and cutting his skin. He hissed, putting a hand to the scratch.

Shaking it off, he charged at the ebony soldier and he slid on the ground, knocking it off its feet. He then landed a powerful kick to its side, managing to launch it off the mountain. Cole chuckled a bit as he heard it scream in terror (or anger), the scratchy voice fading away. Then another one jumped on him, making him fall hard on his back. He grunted in pain, his brain pounding against his skull. His murky green eyes looked up in dizziness as the Shadow Soldier lifted its sword to plunge it into his head.

Just as Cole was about to kick it off, an arrow struck its chest, killing it instantly. It fell to the side and dark blood trickled out of the hole. The Black Ninja lied there confused before a hand stuck out before him.

"You okay?" Chelsea smiled.

Blinking, Cole shook his head. He accepted the smaller hand and pulled himself up. Chelsea was suddenly pulled forward because of this and ran into his chest. She looked up to see the ninja staring down at her and immediately backed away, trying not to make a big deal out of it. Though her face was heating up from embarrassment, she faced him.

"You know I had it handled?" Cole smirked.

The kunoichi rolled her eyes and gave him a look. "Yeah sure," she sarcastically retorted before laughing.

Cole found himself giving a short chuckle at the sight of her laughing. His lips stayed in a small smile as they both stared at each other. The harsh wind was blowing through her ebony curls and slapping the tall woman's cheeks, but the headband on top of her head was keeping her hair from her eyes. At that moment, Cole's eyes roamed her face instantly spotting a couple of scratches on her jaw line. He really didn't know what possessed him to do so but he reached out for it, tenderly smoothing his thumb over wound. There wasn't any blood leaking from the tiny scratch but it still bothered him for some reason.

Chelsea's dark eyes widened in wonder and he knew this was probably getting a bit awkward, but Cole didn't want to stop. As odd as it sounded, he kind of liked the idea of being worried over such a small thing. Only when it had to do with her though. That was the weird part.

"I hope that doesn't scar," he said.

"Uh…yeah…" the kunoichi absent mindedly agreed.

It seemed as if both of them had plummeted into a daze, smiling goofily at the other.

Cole didn't even think about it when the word 'beautiful' popped up in his head.

"Sorry to break up you two love birds but we could use all the help we can get right now," Kai grunted, leaping back as a Shadow Soldier lunged for him.

Right away, Cole's eyes widened and he blinked as the dark-skinned woman stepped back and prepared to shoot her arrow.

"Love birds?" he questioned.

Chelsea scowled as she ran towards Kai to help him. The Earth Ninja shook his head, silently wondering what just happened. He reached for his scythe and held it in front of him, getting ready to attack.

The Shadow Soldiers were starting to decrease in number. As Cole's eyes scanned the battle field, his green irises lied on Nya who fought her way skillfully through the three ebony evil beings. She jumped up, kicking one of them in the back of the head and using the same one to hit the other two, flinging them off the sides of the cliff. Taking out gear from her suit, she used two dagger-like weapons, throwing them towards two soldiers that were on top of Jay. They were killed on contact and fell, vanishing into the air.

Cole thought the Lightning Ninja would've been grateful or even fall in a daze at Nya's flawless performance but, to his surprise, Jay gave her the rudest look Cole has ever seen. He has _never_ seen the shorter man look at her that way. The glare just didn't even look right on his face. It was like it pissed him off that Nya helped him. Jay glared at the petite girl the same way he glared at him when he made that joke that one time Nya was taken away by the Overlord. It was…he didn't know how to describe it. Was it because she was a girl or something? Or were they still angry at each other for who knows what? Still, it was rather rude and Cole would have to talk to him about it later.

Naturally, Nya returned the look and even grunted in irritation as she stomped the other way, her weapons flying back to her hands. It would've been a good choice to talk to one of them and find out why the air was so cold between them, but Cole thought it would be best to wait.

They were kind of in the middle of a battle.

Cole turned around and saw a Shadow Soldier creep behind the fuming dark-haired woman. It protracted its fangs and claws and let out a horrifying screech, lunging for her. Cole felt her name rip through his lips and Nya's head darted towards him.

"Behind-"

But he was too late.

Landing harshly on her, the ebony warrior sunk its sword deep into the stony ground beside her head. Nya screamed out of surprise and struggled to get her hands from beneath it. She kicked rabidly, grunting in fear and irritation as it roared. Raising its claw, it swung down for her cheek and Nya was able to take out her hand and hold its wrist. She forced herself to hold back a scream as it sunk its claws into her arm, spilling a bit of blood.

Before she knew it, the front half of the ebony being fell limp on her face and she felt liquid seep onto her clothing. Snorting in disgust, she pushed the corpse off of her and propped herself on her elbows.

Cole gave her a charming smirk, lending a hand to her. Nya smiled gratefully and took his clammy hand. Pulling herself up, she looked down at her darkened sweater and scrunched her nose up in displeasure.

"It'll disappear in a couple minutes," Cole said, laughing at her appearance.

"It still doesn't make it any less disturbing. It even smells bad too," she stuck out her tongue, making an exaggerated noise.

The two laughed. Cole shook his head, pushing his hair back from his face. Nya's humorous expression suddenly dropped and Cole turned around but it was too late. Two Shadow Soldiers were on top of them, growling in their faces. The two struggled to keep the gigantic claws from ripping their faces off. A single claw managed to swipe across the Black Ninja's cheek and he hissed at the minor sting.

A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, instantly electrocuting the two soldiers. They fell limp on the dark-haired duo, burned to a crisp. Cole and Nya pushed the bodies off of them and warily stood up. The muscular man noticed a couple of rocks falling down the mountain side but not enough to cause any damage.

Jay walked towards them and the corners of Cole's lips rose in a grateful smile.

"Hey, thanks dude. Just try not to use your-"

"Can you just back off!" Jay's furious voice cut through the team leader's sentence.

Confusion settled in the creases of the taller ninja's forehead. Thick brows frowned as the blue-clad man glared at him with such malice, it was unbelievable.

"What are you talking abou-" he was once again cut off.

Jay leaned forward. "Don't think you can just weasel your way between Nya and I again. It happened once, and I'm not letting it happen again, okay? So would you just do me a favor and back the hell away from her!" he growled loudly, rage radiating from his person.

The attitude and harsh words sparked a temper within the ninja. Cole scowled. "I don't know what the heck you're talking about but you need to calm down and watch your-"

From behind him, Cole could hear another strike of lightening fall upon an ebony monster, a piercing scream leaving its mouth before falling with a thud. Larger rocks fell from above them, hitting their battle grounds from with power. Small, unnoticeable, tremors traveled through the rock beneath them.

His anger immediately vanished and a frown of worry creased his head. "Jay, you can't use your powers. You'll cause an-"

"And you!" Jay's finger pointed dangerously at the fuming girl. "If you think for one minute what you're trying to do to me will work, then I've got some news for you. All you're doing is making yourself look stupid and desperate," he spat viciously.

As the boy's anger began to increase, so did the power of the lightning strikes. Reacting to his emotions, the powerful bolts of light singed the ground and the enemies running to attack them. This caused the mountain's shaking to increase in power, making more rocks tumble off the side. A rather large fell right next to the Black Ninja and he jumped in surprise.

Cole flinched at the brutal comment but put his hands up in worry. "Okay, Jay, you seriously need to-"

Nya turned a flaming red color. She smacked his finger away from her face and stepped up to face him. "First of all, don't put your finger in my face. Second of all, if you don't take that back I promise you you'll wish you would've never met me," she seethed.

The sky began to darken into an ugly grey as the blue-clad ninja shook with rage. More lightning bolts hit the ground and, this time, they were dangerously close to the three. Cole felt his heart rate spike as more rocks began to fall and they were bigger. The others were now dodging the boulders, trying not to get squished.

"Well you're a little late because I kinda wish I hadn't!" Jay snarled.

"You are the biggest jackass I have ever met in my entire life. You're screaming at me for nothing!" the girl yelled.

"Guys, it's-"

"Nothing!? _Nothing!? _You started this! I did nothing to you but you decide to be a big jerk and go flirt with Cole! You don't even have the decency to do it behind my back! You just do it right in front of me just to piss me off!"

Cole's eyes widened as Jay started to literally glow.

This was bad.

"Look at that! Not only are you dense but you're also disillusioned. Go figure. Congratulations for being the biggest ass-clown in Ninjago Jay!" Nya scoffed.

That had drawn the line for the Lightning Ninja. He lost all self control and screamed, "Oh yeah!? Then I guess the award for the biggest slut goes to you! Why don't you just go screw Cole's brains out while you still have the chance!? I wouldn't be surprised if you already have!"

Nya let out an offended and utterly furious grunt. The retort slapped her in the face, leaving her speechless and angry beyond comprehension.

Cole's worrying instantly vanished and a mean scowl edged his features.

That was just overdoing it.

He stepped in front of Nya and growled dangerously, his eyes turning dark with disapproval. "Jay. That's taking it too far."

Releasing a scream of frustration, Jay's dark blue eyes lit up dangerously, a blue aura surrounding his body. He gnashed his teeth and shoved the team leader with an astounding amount of strength. Cole fell to the ground and looked up at the glowing man.

"Jay-"

"Just shut up. Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" he bellowed, almost monstrously.

As the furious man loomed over the Black Ninja, the sky's clouds split into two and a massive thunder bolt shot down. The wind picked up, furiously batting against the group. The yellow charged bolt hit the ground, in the center of the clear flat land, and caused the mighty mountain to shake horridly.

Everyone standing was knocked off their feet as a thunderous storm was created. The rocks rained upon them at full speed, stones of all sizes pelting the ground through the harsh rain. Jay, who shook his head, back to normal, looked up in time to see a rock come his way. He jumped out of place and looked around in confusion as many more hit the ground. It wasn't until he saw a massive pile of rocks roll down their way that his eyes widened in horror.

"Avalanche!" Lloyd yelled.

Cole looked around for a place to take cover in and when his green eyes landed on the cave near them, he wasted no time in shouting, "To the cave!"

They bolted behind their leader and into the naturally created cave walls where they would be safe. Large rocks piled up in front of the opening and in a matter of seconds, the only exit out of there was sealed shut.

Harsh pants distributed about the large cave. Cole straightened up, looking around even though he couldn't really see much. It was dark, a bit humid, and the only source of light was coming from the tiny holes naturally created in ceiling.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked in a semi-loud voice.

A murmur of yeses strung from the groups mouths and Cole sighed in relief.

"What just happened?" Chelsea asked rubbing her hands up her arms.

When no one answered she tilted her head a bit and looked between the blue and black ninja who glared at each other in contempt.

"I think what I meant was: Is everything alright?"

Jay looked away, and secluded himself from the rest. Nya didn't even take acknowledge his existence and stood by Kai, squeezing out the water from his sleeve. Cole walked to her and stood by her side. She raised a brow.

"Don't worry about it," he quickly said, shrugging. He slid to the floor and began to take off the top layer of his ninja suit, squeezing out the water.

"Well, alright," she skeptically agreed and helped him.

Because he refused to answer, the others took it as a sign not to question it for now and just sat in their places, squeezing out the water from their own clothing. Cole gave the kunoichi a careful but grateful smile as she took his coat layer and wrenched the water out. His eyes then darted over his blue brother and he sighed involuntarily.

Whatever happened out there had gotten out of control fast and as leader of this team he was obligated to figure it out. But Cole didn't know how. Apparently, he was involved in the main problem. But how could he be involved in something he didn't know anything about. He honestly had no idea what was going on and it was giving him one hell of a headache. The tension in the cave didn't help either.

He felt Chelsea put a pruned hand on his forearm, causing him to look at her dark eyes. "Are you okay?" she said for their ears only.

Cole didn't even bother saying yes. He just looked away, his gaze lying on the reddish-brownish-haired man sitting alone in the corner.

"I don't even know."

* * *

**_A/N: _****_Cole needs to chill. _**

**_So does Jay. _**

**_And Nya needs to chill too. _**

**_Everyone needs to chill. Why can't we all just be happy? I mean, just grab some pizza and calm dooooowwwnnn._**

**_It's so hard to write about a guy's thought process. I'm a being of the female gender so I've had to ask many guy friends what they typically think when dilemmas show up in their relationships and they all said they don't know what's going on half of the time. _**

**_Same. _**

**_Anyway, so yeah. There's obviously a bit of misunderstanding going on between the three and I enjoyed writing about Jay's freak out. It was fun to imagine. Jay doesn't get genuinely angry so it was kind of hard to write about but fun nonetheless. _**

**_I hope you enjoyed it!_**

**_Review! Review! Review_**

**_I appreciate everything guys. You rock!_**

**_Sylvia-Ann~ _**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners. **

* * *

_"I hope I am a psychotherapist's dream. I've spent enough hours in therapy."_

_-Sia Furler_

* * *

Chapter 7

**_Zane_**

Nindroids couldn't dream, but they could definitely wish they could.

Right now, Zane wished he was dreaming; anything to get away from this. The tension and blatant anger that radiated off his blue-clad ninja was making the White Ninja really uncomfortable. He didn't like it when one of them got angry. It just didn't sit well with him but Zane knew he couldn't do anything as of now. First of all, he didn't know what had transpired between Cole and Jay since the conflict obviously lied between them. Second of all, now would not be the appropriate time to approach the fuming Lightning Master. He needed time to cool down and allow his thoughts to flow rationally. Provoking him would only do harm.

Plus, it was way too quiet to start that type of conversation. Everyone would hear and Zane wasn't about to embarrass himself.

He wasn't that oblivious.

For about half an hour now, the group had been sitting in complete and utter silence. It was almost unbearable, but somehow they were still sane. The darkness of the cave did help in easing the tension because their sight was limited, but their eyes adjusted and it was easy to identify who was who. Tiny dishes of light came from above also aiding in sight. Zane also knew that everyone had the knowledge that he could easily illuminate the cave with his own internal light, but he didn't think anyone would want that right now. He wasn't going to ask either.

His hoodie was comfortably warm—not that he got cold anyway—and dry. All of them were back in their casual wear. Instead of focusing on the uneasiness, Zane decided to figure out how his normal clothes were completely dry when his ninja gi was soaked. In fact, he hadn't really thought of something. Where did his regular attire go when he changed into his gi? Were they tucked away in a secret compartment, or did they just magically disappear? Also, how was it able to restore itself after damage? Now that he thought about it, whenever their attire suffered from rips in the seams or something like that, it went away. The next time they needed their ninja outfits, they were back to perfect condition. Take Chelsea's situation for example. Just yesterday, Zane clearly remembered ripping the dirtied body suit in half to perform CPR. It basically hung by mere pieces of sewing string when they brought her into the medical bay. Just now, her outfit was fully restored, as if nothing happened before.

Wasn't that peculiar?

Before he could dwell on the subject any further, Zane saw the dark-skinned woman travel towards him from her spot by their team leader. His cerulean eyes gazed up at her, glowing brightly in the dark.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked with a gentle smile.

The Ice Ninja scooted over, telling her he was okay with it in body language. Chelsea sat down with a heavy sigh. She crossed her legs and placed her chin in her palm. Her brown eyes were dull with discouragement. Kai and Lloyd scooted closer to the two and they made a sloppy rectangle.

"Did you get anything?" the fire ninja asked for their ears only.

The Grey Ninja shook her head, her lips pursing together in a fine line. "Nope. He wouldn't budge. He's just brooding over there. I don't even think he realizes I moved. Is he usually like this when he's mad or something?"

Kai scratched the back of his head in a half-irritated, half-sheepish, manner. "Yup, that's our Cole," he groaned quietly. "I couldn't get anything out of Nya either. She completely shut me out. I have to let her cool off before she'll cool off."

"What about Jay?" Lloyd asked, sniffing. The lack of warmth combined with the dampness he felt not oo long ago was not agreeing with his nose.

Kai couldn't help but let a playful chuckle escape his chapped lips. He patted the teen's back, smirking. "I don't think we'll be able to talk to that guy for a couple weeks. The dude's literally got sparks on his body. If any of us even attempt to sit near him, it's guaranteed you'd come back with third degree burns. Whatever Cole did this time must've really set him off."

"I have never seen him this angry before. The lightning bolt he sent down caused a massive avalanche. I have not seen so much energy in one strike" Zane added solemnly.

"I hope they're not gonna go through that dumb love triangle again. This has been going on for months," Lloyd added irritably, throwing a small pebble away from them.

Chelsea raised both brows. "Love triangle? You mean they both like Nya?"

The Green Ninja shrugged. "Well, Cole said he didn't but that was obviously a lie. I mean, why else would Jay get so angry? He never gets angry unless it has something to do with hurting his chances with her."

"But I thought Nya and Jay were, like, together…kinda…" Chelsea tilted her head giving the other three a look of confusion. Zane gave her a blank stare while the other two raised their hands in a look of defeat. No one really knew or particularly cared what happened between the two younger ones but when the black-clad ninja got involved, it messed up a lot of stuff. Cole was their leader and when things like this were also added into play, well, let's just say that he wasn't too skilled in the department of love.

Long story short, things got screwy really fast.

Zane heard the kunoichi scoff, looking away with boredom. "Well you learn something every day. And here I thought these things only happened in fanfictions."

The tall ninja's eyes glowed in question. "Fanfiction? You mean like a story?"

Chelsea chuckled and Zane noticed a slight indent in her left cheek only. She waved it off and shook her head. "Yeah, basically. I'll explain it later."

For the longest time, it seemed that silence had played a game of tag with them; tapping them on the shoulder and having them chase it. Unfortunately, it was a very fast runner and they struggled to keep up with it. Currently, it was winning the game and the awkwardness that came into play was exasperating. Zane tried not to let it affect him too much but as he watched the blonde teen flick a pebble farther into the cave, he realized that even his outer shell couldn't deflect such a bellicose feeling.

"Ya know, I didn't know you and Nya were siblings until I found out your last names. You two look and act nothing alike. Well, sometimes," Chelsea suddenly brought up.

Kai took the opportunity to rid himself cumbersome silence. He leaned back onto the cave wall, his hands behind his back, crossing his legs in a boyish manner. "Yeah, we get that a lot. When she was six, I was able to convince her she was adopted and when she finally had the guts to ask our parents and found out she wasn't, she wouldn't talk to me for an entire day. Best day of my life."

Chelsea let out a small laugh and the two began to engage in a conversation about things they have done to their younger sibling. Turns out, the kunoichi had a younger sister. Lloyd would listen intently and then comment with laughter, cheering them for their devious acts.

Zane was stumped. How could people easily interact with one another so easily? How were they able to introduce new topics without cutting off the flow of the conversation and making the air uncomfortable? He was told multiple times that his social skills needed a bit of work. Jay always told him that he just needed to be aware of when and what he spoke. Cole said it was easy to talk to him but it was just that he would spit out random things, catching him off guard.

Listening carefully, the nindroid observed the trio's conversation. He felt a bit left out but planned to change that soon. His mind started to race for ideas and topics that would glide easily along in the dialogue exchange.

"Do you know what I've been thinking about? Where do our ninja outfits come from? Like, does it just appear out of thing air or…" Chelsea trailed off.

Perfect.

"I've been thinking about that too, for awhile. And have you also noticed that they repair themselves after they've taken damage?" Zane spoke.

The other three's eyes brightened up in realization to Zane's delight. Lloyd wagged a finger in the air. "That's true! This is so weird."

"Well Sensei Wu gave us our outfits out of nowhere so I guess it has the same affect? We can always ask him if we ever get out of this damn cave," the Fire Ninja muttered.

"I want a different ninja outfit," Chelsea whined, "Mine is all tight and revealing. I mean, why can't I have a gi, or at least pants of some kind? I don't enjoy my butt and thunder thighs hanging out there for everyone to see. I almost died out there from hypothermia."

"Aside from the whole hypothermia thing, I'm totally okay with your outfit. I don't mind it one bit," he suggestively purred, wiggling his eyebrows obnoxiously. He laughed joyfully as the Shadow Ninja gave him a glare.

"I'm sure you don't," she answered sarcastically, a mock of a smile on her expression.

"Your kunoichi suit is fitted best for your body type. It does you justice and I believe you look quite exceptional in it, but if you feel that uncomfortable, then I'm sure Sensei Wu could add something to it."

At that moment, six separate eyes landed on the nindroid in disbelief. Zane mentally kicked himself. Did he say something awkward again? And here he was doing so well and-

"Zane, did you just flirt?" Kai asked, laughing along in disbelief.

"Yeah, why don't you just say it louder? I'm sure Sensei Wu couldn't hear you!" Chelsea whisper-shouted.

"Zane, did you-"

"She was being sarcastic Kai," Lloyd rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe it!" the red-clad fighter exclaimed, amused and a bit proud.

The poor nindroid blinked, taken aback. He looked over to the Grey Ninja who was obviously uncomfortable in this current situation. She glared at the laughing brunette and shifted in her space. Zane noted how her inability to react in this dilemma had caused both he and Lloyd to just sit there, unable to come up with anything to say to help. Though, Zane had to try to clear up things.

"I was merely complimenting her and encouraging her decisions in-"

"You were _flirting_ Zane," Kai shook his head humorously.

Chelsea narrowed her eyes at him as if to tell him he didn't make sense. "Okay, but why does a person complimenting someone automatically mean they're trying to get into their pants?"

"Yes. I am a bit confused," the White Ninja added.

Lloyd really looked like he wanted to stab all of them, but Zane had questions that needed to be answered.

"I didn't say that," Kai said.

"Then what's the point in flirting?"

"You do it when you think someone's attractive or something. I don't know. It's when you make obvious advances on a person."

"Yeah, but you can compliment someone's attractiveness without it being flirting. Like, I think you're an attractive man and if I said that to you before, I would've been only complimenting you. Nothing more," Chelsea pointed.

Kai shook his head. "No. That's flirting because you don't just go up to someone and say, 'Hey, you're attractive,' without wanting to advance on the person. That's like if I go up to you and say, 'Hey, I just wanted to tell you you're beautiful.' You obviously want to know the person more than just on a friendly level."

Chelsea gaped at him for a second. "I would say thank you and wouldn't make assumptions. I wouldn't think that way unless you tell me 'I like you more than on friendly terms.' Duh."

Kai raised his hands up, backing down from the argument before it got heated. He crossed his arms and smirked to lighten up the air. "Whatever you say, princess. At least you think I'm hot. Are ya sure that's all you think about me? Or wait, should I ask when Zane's not around?" he teased causing Chelsea to playfully hit his arm. She sighed and chuckled hopelessly.

"I hate you," she smiled.

"Same goes for me," Lloyd muttered, earning a light shove from the fiery ninja.

"Hey, you're supposed have my back, bro."

Lloyd gave him a fake smile before rolling his eyes. The three then proceeded to burst into fits of laughter, completely clearing the air.

Zane was still thoroughly confused. A lot of new information just entered his database and he was having trouble settling the data into a comprehensible line. He felt their eyes stare at him as he looked down in thought.

"Are you okay Zane? You look like you're gonna split a wire," the young teen asked for all of them.

The nindroid blinked but kept his gaze glued to the ground. "I assure you my wires will not be splitting anytime soon. I am just…thinking."

Yeah…thinking.

…

To pass the time, the people who weren't despondent made shadows. It wasn't the best way to use their time but, at this point, they would anything to cure their boredom.

Zane was thankful he didn't have to light his head up. Instead, Kai ignited a small flame in the palm of his hand. Lloyd proceeded to make the head of the dog and attempted to have its ears wiggle. Next he tried a turtle and Chelsea cooed at how excited the younger boys was over the little activity.

The White Ninja had to smile at her reaction. He had noticed over a short period of time, her and Lloyd had become quite close. The Grey Ninja was always talking to him and looking out for him. It was obvious the blonde teen would get a bit annoyed if she asked about his well being or offered help, but he was always like that; trying to prove himself independent. It was something he picked up from Kai, his number one role model.

"Zane can make the best hand shadows. Show her!" Lloyd said.

Obliging to the younger ninja's commands, Zane stood up and put himself between the fire and the cave wall. He stuck out his hands and everyone looked to the wall. He successfully made a snail.

The rest marveled at how good it was.

"Woah! That's amazing," said Chelsea.

He felt his confidence rise in his chest and happiness sprouted inside his person. "I can do much more."

Allowing himself to break down his stoic barriers, he made the face of a man and auto tuned his voice to sound very old and British. Next, he made the head of a goat, a bunny rabbit, and much more. With ease, he was able to create animals of all kinds. The others laughed as he made noise and perfectly imitated their signature sounds.

"Hey, Chels, if you're the Ninja of Shadows, shouldn't you be able to at least make a shadow or something. Try it," Kai urged.

The kunoichi gave him a discouraged smile. "Well, here's the thing, I don't even know how to make shadow puppets. But I mean, I have always wanted to try something." Chelsea looked to Zane. "Could you make a butterfly?"

Confused, he gave her a soft look but he saw her look back in reassurance. Nodding, he proceeded to make the simple hand gesture, creating a small butterfly. Peculiarly, Chelsea looked at the shadow. In complete bewilderment, the other three watched as she walked over to the wall and let the tips of her finger tips touch the butterfly's "feet". In astonishment, the all gaped as the butterfly left Zane's hands and hopped onto her hand. The woman carefully held the ebony creature in the palms of her hands facing the three.

"What the-" Kai started.

The black butterfly fluttered its wings, hovering above the woman's hands. Chelsea stared in amazement as it floated naturally in the air. She stuck out her forefinger and it gently perched upon it.

"S-sensei said that I could manipulate shadows if I focused enough. I tried it with the shadows of tables and lamps but I couldn't do it. I-I don't know why this worked," she breathed in consternation, "But it's amazing."

The small, faceless, creature took off from her finger and flew closer to the flame. When it flew too close to the bright flames, it vanished into thin air, its shadowy essence dispersing in the air.

"Woah," Lloyd gasped.

"And you want to know a secret? Have you ever thought about how I never run out of arrows?" Chelsea smiled, excitement oozing off her grin.

Zane thought about it. She never complained about running out of arrows.

"Watch," she commanded. Reaching behind her ear, Chelsea slowly pulled out a pitch black arrow. Appearing out of thin air, she easily twirled it in her hands to make the point face the right way. When she held it firmly, the dark shadows ran off it and unearthed sleek shiny metal. She held out the arrow to let the other ninja see it.

"How come you've never said anything till now?" Kai asked, letting his fingers gingerly touch the weapon.

Chelsea shrugged. "I didn't just want to bring it up randomly and act like I was showing off. Besides, I didn't even know I could do this myself before today. I haven't had a chance to really practice my powers." She twirled the arrow and it quickly disappears into the darkness of the shadows.

"That is quite extraordinary," Zane said genuinely. "I'm sure with more training, and when you unlock your full potential, your powers will help greatly in defeating Eltanse."

"I sure hope so."

"Speaking of defeating Eltanse, have you two practiced using the emeralds?"

They four jumped from the Earth Ninja's stern voice. Kai's flames went out unexpectedly, and the cave went back to being dark. Though, it was still light enough for them to see like before. They looked behind them to see Cole stand with his back straight and a no nonsense expression creasing his forehead. Zane recognized the look immediately.

Cole was not in a very good mood right now.

The Red Ninja sheepishly chuckled, looking away. "Not really." He became quite uncomfortable under their leader's reprimanding glare as did the others.

Cole crossed his arms. "Wouldn't it be better if you were to do something that would benefit us later? Not make stupid shadow puppets."

Understanding the leader had a lot of things going on in his head, the ninja didn't question his comments. It wouldn't help them anyway. After living with each other for a good part of their lives, the ninja learned what to say and when to say certain things with each other. (Save for the times they were careless). If anyone were to bite back at the black-clad ninja right now, it would only tick him off more and no one liked a totally pissed off Cole.

Zane would admit, when Cole yelled, it was quite frightening.

In addition, he had learned that when something made Cole angry, he had a tendency to lose his rational leader thoughts.

In about a second or two, the nindroid would also remember that Chelsea hadn't lived with them for more than a week.

The Grey Kunoichi blinked multiple times, a mildly offended look creeping onto her face. She gave a small sarcastic laugh as she turned her back towards the muscular man. "Sorry we weren't all moping over a girl for an hour straight," she muttered.

This would be an appropriate time to say: _Uh-oh._

No one could tell if the snarky comment was meant for them to hear it also. Maybe Chelsea was just a bad whisperer. They'd never know. But they could clearly see that Cole's frown just got deeper.

"What was that?" he raised his thick brows.

Chelsea only ignored him and shrugged indifferently. She stood next to Kai and the spiky haired boy blinked. "Come on Kai. Let's go practice with the emeralds. We don't want to waste our time. That would be stupid."

"Uh…okay?" he said with a waver in his voice. He obviously didn't want to be any part of this. They both began to walk closer towards the unknown parts of the cave. Zane thought that maybe they would let it go and the snarky comments would stop there, but apparently his apparatus wasn't as high-tech as he thought.

Lloyd and Zane glanced at each other and the younger of the two sighed irritably.

"If you've got something to say, why don't you say it to my face?" Cole exclaimed with a scowl.

"Did you hear something Kai? No? Must've been my imagination."

Kai's eyes widened towards her and he shook his head, silently telling the woman to knock it off. "No. Chelsea, don't do this."

The Earth Master grunted in irritation. "Good to know we have someone immature on the team. We're definitely going to win with someone who can't even properly control their own element."

Now was the time to intervene.

Zane stretched his hand out. "Cole-"

Chelsea, who was now walking without Kai, abruptly paused in her spot. Her head was titled downwards and she made no other movements.

"You know what-"

"I know we're all a little tense, but we can't start a fight now. We need to find a way to get out of this cave and find the next emerald," Lloyd quickly brought up before the silence could turn too uncomfortable.

"He is right. We are sorry Cole," Zane apologized for them. He then lowered his voice for their ears only. "Please calm down."

The team leader sighed and nodded. He rolled back his shoulders and shook his head. His green eyes glanced over to the dark-skinned woman for a second before averting onto the other three. "Right. I remember sensei telling us that the emeralds could teleport us. We need to figure out a way to activate them so we can get out of here."

Kai nodded with determination. "I'm sure if we just work on it, in no time, we'll be out of here." He took out the crimson emerald and studied it. "Somehow, they react when-"

"My emerald is glowing."

The others lifted their heads to the female ninja.

"That means there's another emerald here, right?"

This time, they turned their heads to look back at Nya who stood up and brushed away soot from her less-than-damp sweater. Her emerald eyes glowed precisely in the dark and she confidently walked over to the Grey Ninja. She put a pale hand on the other's shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile. Chelsea smiled back and nodded.

Nya turned her head a bit. "Let's start searching for it then. Eltanse is obviously following us, so we need to act now." With that, she and Chelsea walked forward.

The four ninja looked at each other before they saw the Lightning Ninja walk stonily by them. They stared at him in confusion but nevertheless followed after him.

* * *

**_Nya_**

She wasn't going to think about it. She just wasn't. No matter how much the white hot rage burned her skin, boiling the pale flesh into a heap of undeniable hurt, Nya would not think anything of Jay's words.

He was just stupid. A big jerk-face. An assclown. More idiotic than a skeleton. An annoying prick. Dumb as a rock. A mean fart face. A stupid crappy excuse for a boyfriend (if he ever was one). Nya was a hundred and ten percent done with his shit. She would not just sit here and be slut shamed for nothing. The red-clad samurai would never dare be so violently disrespected and just take it. She didn't know why Jay wanted to throw a hissy fit and suddenly whine about that fact that she was apparently being 'mean' to him, but she didn't care. She might've cared a day before, but that was in the past. This was now and Nya was not dealing with it anymore.

If he wasn't such a dunce-headed ninja with absolutely no knowledge of anything other than his stupid games, maybe he'd realize the reason she was so off towards him. Nya thought that if she just hinted towards it, maybe he'd get a hint. So, she was right in some degree.

He definitely got something, but it wasn't what she expected.

Where the hell did he get the idea that she was flirting with Cole?

That was just total bullshit. Was he that self-conscious? Was he really that insecure? Was he really that…dumb!? First of all, Nya had gotten her priorities and feelings straight. Jay should know, out of all people. He was there when she clearly stated, _"I like you Jay."_ Obviously that just ran into one ear and skipped out the other. Second of all, Nya does a lot of things, but she does play dirty. Not only was it dishonorable as a samurai, but it just wasn't her. Her guilty conscious would eat her up on the spot. Jay apparently didn't know her well enough to think that through. So how dare he accuse her of doing something as low as that. And lastly, Cole doesn't even like her like that. It would just seem desperate if she were to try and throw herself on him just to make Jay jealous. So…

Pulling her legs into her chest, the dark-haired girl sighed miserably, ignoring her brother's pleas for her to open up. She needed some time to think. That's all she needed. She didn't feel like being bothered. For the time being, Nya would prefer it if she were allowed some time to shut down and float within her mind.

Eventually, Kai got the memo.

Nya's head lied in between her knees, her cheekbones uncomfortably squished from her kneecaps, but she was too busy moping to care. She thought back to the events that took place not too long ago. The clear memory of the Blue Ninja's entire body radiating electricity and his eyes glowing a yellow hue haunted her eyes. A great amount of power she has never seen from him had suddenly come upon him because of his anger. to see Jay angry was quite a sight. It wasn't a fun one either. To be honest, Nya couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him genuinely angry, if not at all. He was a happy, air-head, light person that freaked out about things for a second but then forgot about it the next. He wasn't laid-back, per say, but he definitely wasn't uptight about a lot of things. He was a real jokester at heart too. That was handy but it could become a bit annoying.

When Jay pushed the Earth Ninja away from her, glaring at him so viciously she swore she saw venom leak from his sockets, Nya was paralyzed with rage. Just seeing him wrongly accuse someone innocent just because of his own securities just made her go red. He started spitting out his disillusions and acting as if everything that came out of his mouth was a fact. No one would ever know how much Nya wanted to just pull her fist back and knock him out so everyone would be graced with silence. She was sure Cole wouldn't have a problem with it.

The poor guy was probably beating himself up. If she knew Cole as well as she thought she did, Nya knew for a fact that he was finding ways to blame himself for this. He shouldn't be but the deep frown that creased his handsome face said it clearly. He was thinking that the dumb love triangle would come back with full force except, this time, he would be in it against his will and Jay would truly despise him for his involuntary involvement.

Nya sighed once again and rubbed her red eyes. A familiar burning sensation rubbed her eyes raw and she sniffled, biting back her tears. A couple minutes passed and she composed herself enough to know the tears would not leave her body. Nya wasn't really upset with Jay's name calling. Out of all the things he's ever said to her, she knew he did not mean that whatsoever. At least she hoped so. When Cole interfered, because she was frozen with shock, anyone could clearly see the disturbance in his dark blue irises. It was like Jay didn't want to believe what he was saying. It was like he didn't even want to hear it. And when their team leader scolded him darkly for it, he was at his boiling point and then a great storm hit.

That what you get when you're the Master of Lightning, she guessed.

As the time passed on, Nya found her eyes begin to get heavy with drowsiness. And as the tiredness hit, the thoughts of her messed up love life had begun to flee. She didn't know if she was just sleepy or she simply didn't give a crap anymore. The young samurai found herself wanting to choose the latter because it just seemed badass. She also wanted to turn her head for a more comfortable position to sleep in but that would tempt her to look at Jay and she just didn't want to deal with the foreboding thoughts again. So, she just remained in her position and began to doze off into a careless sleep.

That lasted for about a good twenty minutes. Nya wasn't even fully asleep. She was still floating between blissful unconsciousness and painless awareness. Tiny voices, that didn't bother her before, began to pick at her ears and edge her weighty eyelids to raise the blinds. Irritated, but too sleepy to really act on it, the red-clad samurai lifted her head. An ache in her neck sprinted through the back of her head and the top of her back. Nya rubbed the soreness as best as she could while trying to get her senses to work as one again. Once, she was able to compose herself, smacking her lips of the bitter taste in her mouth, she looked to her left to see most of the group up and in a weird circle.

It didn't take her long to feel the tenseness basically radiating off of the ninja. Her eyes scanned over her brother's uncomfortable eyes looking back at Lloyd who looked as if he was either worried or completely done with whatever was going on. She couldn't see Chelsea's face but the glare that Cole gave her back made Nya's dark brows scrunch together in utter confusion. Zane leaned in and whispered something to him and the muscular man's muscles relaxed a bit and he turned his body away from the kunoichi's. Chelsea just stood there as the others talked and Nya felt this strong urge to get defensive for her. Why, she wouldn't be able to tell, but the feeling was there.

"Right. I remember sensei telling us that the emeralds could teleport us. We need to figure out a way to activate them so we can get out of here," Cole grunted, his eyes turning dark as they glanced between each set of eyes.

Any thoughts of the emerald completely left the petite woman's mind during their excavation here. With everything that went on, the scarce jewels did not once cross her mind. Slowly, so she wouldn't lose her balance, Nya rose to her feet. No one seemed to notice.

Kai nodded and his fingers subtly picked with each other, a habit he caught onto when he got nervous. "I'm sure if we just work on it, in no time, we'll be out of here." From inside his hoodie, he took out his emerald and as it glowed, so did his eyes. "Somehow, they react when-"

"My emerald is glowing," Chelsea suddenly said and Nya saw the chance to intervene and she took it.

Walking over to the group, she said, "That means there's another emerald here, right?" She put a comforting hand on the Grey Ninja's shoulder. Chelsea gave a grateful smile and Nya nodded. Brown eyes got very dark when they were troubled, she noted.

She needed an excuse so that they'd be able to talk with reason. The emeralds really came in handy sometimes. Not only were they good for saving lives, but they could also diverge attention. "Let's start searching for it then. Eltanse is obviously following us, so we need to act now." Someone was bound to ask of something related to Jay, so without leaving any room for that, Nya gave Chelsea a reassuring look and the two walked into the darkness.

She didn't really notice if Jay came along or not.

* * *

**_A/N: Hey guys! Long time, no see. Sorry I've disappeared for a bit. Between all the studying, tests, and an invitation to go to fucking Yale or Harvard for a conference, I've had no time. Not to mention flag football and piano have taken up literally all my time. So, again, I'm sorry. This is a shorter chapter but it'll come along. _**

**_Tell me what you think! That's all for now, but stayed tuned for the next chapter._**

**_All the love. You guys rock._**

**_Sylvia-Ann~_**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All Ninjago characters and concepts belong to Lego. All OCs and other concepts belong to me. **

* * *

_"…__a man after his own heart…"  
—Unknown Author_

* * *

Chapter 8

**_In the Cave—12:30 P.M._**

With both Lloyd and Kai providing light and warmth, they trekked through the dark walls of the cave. The stony grey material was a serious damper to their already down-y moods, but no one really cared at this point. So far, it was all just rock, but peculiarly, it seemed as the smooth ground subtly increased in elevation with each quarter of a mile. They addressed it sometime ago and they decided to just keep going.

It was quiet, as expected. Not only was the female ninja's obvious annoyance causing tightness, but the air between Nya and Jay wasn't helping. The dark-haired woman had recently discovered he was walking behind her. Nya almost had to suppress an eye roll. The Lightning Ninja probably didn't even know he was making things way more uncomfortable than they needed to be. Okay, if two people are in a fight, they usually wouldn't want to be so close to each other. But of course, Jay wouldn't know that, or maybe didn't care enough to know. He'd rather just ignore the obvious and go along with his dim-witted thoughts.

He was just so freaking _annoying_ and _oblivious_ and if he honestly thought she was trying to flirt with Cole he was a bigger clown than she thought and-

"Boys are annoying," Chelsea lowly huffed.

Before Nya could even thinking about her words, she muttered, "Are you telepathic or something?" The two looked at each other and gave humorous smiles but couldn't fully laugh.

Chelsea looked down at her glowing emerald to see it glow a bit brighter. She took a quick glance behind them to make sure the boys weren't close enough to hear them. She sighed. "So, mind telling me why Jay went berserk and almost killed rocks-for-brains over there?"

She groaned. "Well, let's just say his assumptions aren't usually correct."

"Assumptions?" the other lead on.

"He thinks Cole and I have a thing for each other even though we've _clearly_ stated that nothing is going on between us," Nya explained quietly.

Her terse expression gave way to the fact that the young samurai was obviously agitated and distinctly over whatever has been going on. Chelsea wasn't up to date about anything going on. To her knowledge, she knew for a fact that Nya and Jay liked each other very much and had only recently learned that Cole had also had a thing for the beautiful warrior. Whether or not he still felt something more towards her was something the Grey Ninja was still pondering quite strongly, if she were to admit.

In all, Chelsea could, quite frankly, understand the Lightning Ninja's anger and insecurity. In addition to competition, in her short time being here, it was blatantly obvious the blue-clad ninja was head over heels for Nya. There wasn't a day Chelsea didn't see him fawning over her as she spoke about a new device, her interests, and even simply her hair. He was a young man that had fallen in love so hard, that he was paranoid of anything that threatened to take her away from him. It was like a crush that had grew into a tidy obsession. He was lucky that Nya had also fallen for him so he wasn't forced to be closed off about it. Though that was true, it also meant he had no intentions of hiding his jealousy or anger and that he would confront the things that scared him.

The Master of Shadows didn't know the red-headed man that well, but she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't get that angry over nothing. Jay had basically conjured up a life-threatening thunder bolt from the sky and was probably aiming it for their leader. Even if Cole and Nya had happened to pass flirtatious gazes at each other that still wouldn't be enough for Jay to hurt the Black Ninja with extravagantly dangerous injuries purposely. No one would be that fatuous (hopefully). Jay was a worrier, but he wasn't unreasonable and deranged. Now, Chelsea wasn't trying to pass as if she knew Jay very well, nor was she trying to justify his actions, but she could evaluate the situation well enough to know there was something building up in the blue-clad ninja's chest. It was only now, for some reason, he decided to let it out in a precarious strike.

Literally.

"Sometimes I think people just like to imagine things to justify their insecurities," Chelsea thought aloud. She didn't fully voice her opinions all because she did not want to say anything to anger the young samurai and make her keep from voicing her true thoughts.

Nya sighed in agreement. Her verdant eyes were half-covered by tired pale blinds and she shook her head as recent events filled her mind. "I couldn't agree more," she muttered.

Nya's hands wrapped around her upper arms in order to keep in whatever warmth she had left. The temperature was slowly dropping as they traveled deeper into the cave. The elevation wasn't increasing for the time being, but they were walking up a slight hill and most of the group's shins were starting to feel it. Red and silver aided the fire in illuminating the pathway of which they were walking. The caves walls were still as dull as ever but there was a subtle change in their color. A dark blue-purple tint covered the stony edges creating a slightly eerie atmosphere that went unknown to the group.

"I want you and Jay to talk about this after we find the emerald," Chelsea suddenly said.

The dark-haired woman lifted her eyes up to the taller one. Chelsea glanced at her before her eyes averted back to the dark path. Even so, a small gentle smile was drawn upon her lips as Nya shook her head and gave her a dead-panned look.

"No."

Chelsea chuckled. "You're gonna have to at some point, Nya. You can't just try and ignore the problem. Trust me, it's better to just get things straight before things start getting awkward." She didn't know where this wise, educated, side of her was coming from. She guessed all those clinical psychology classes were coming in handy.

As childish as it was, Nya shrugged. "I've tried multiple times to get Jay to talk and each time he asks the dumbest questions. Who cares about cherry pie? It's like talking to a rock. I'd rather just not talk to him and avoid the possibility of anyone getting hurt."

The ninja gave the samurai a knowing look. "Now you know Jay would never lay a finger on you."

Nya raised a humorous brow. "Who said I would be the one getting hurt?"

"Touché."

The two girls laughed over the semi-joke. Soon as it was over, the tension had ebbed away sparsely. Nya's hands flew behind her back as she walked. Her eyes glinted mischievously and they continually glanced up at the kunoichi. For so long, the attention had been on her and they had only talked about what she should do with her anger. Nya was in the right to say that she wasn't the only one that wasn't confronting her problems. If she remembered correctly, the reason why they were walking right now was because Nya had successfully removed some the attention off of Chelsea. There was certainly something wrong with the kunoichi and some of the ninja and now it was her turn to give advice.

"You know, you seemed quite angry not too long ago."

An instant reaction came from the Shadow Master. Chelsea bit her lip subtly and her dark eyes darted over to the side of the cave walls. She gave an annoyed look to Nya who only smiled with a brow raised. It was obvious she was uncomfortable with the way she rolled her shoulders back. Her deep sigh gave it away.

"I'm over that now. It's nothing," she answered too quickly.

"Seemed like nothing to me," she teased, her voice rising high in a sing-song note. "Sounded like you and Cole had it in for each other."

Chelsea gave her a look that told her to quiet down as her eyes darted back, looking for an unwanted crowd. "Okay, I said something mean and started something when I didn't have to. It was my fault and I'll apologize later, now will you shhhhh!" she whisper-shouted, a bit of laughter trailing after her words.

Her defensiveness and worry caused hilarity to come spewing out of both their lips. Nya bumped her hip with Chelsea's. "What? Is Dr. Millard too scared to take a sip of her own medicine?" she taunted.

"Hardy har har. Very funny. Aren't you the jokester?"

"Who's the psychologist now?" Nya winked.

Chelsea rolled her eyes and pulled a playfully annoyed face before chuckling. The two walked on for a bit in peaceful silence. Then, the Grey Ninja blinked inquisitively and looked down at her shorter companion. "Cherry pie?" she questioned with the utmost confusion.

Nya groaned. "Don't even get me started."

* * *

**_Still in the cave—(unfortunately)—1:23 P.M._**

Now their legs were really starting to hurt,

In addition to the arguably steep incline, the only reason why the heroic group hasn't dropped dead was because of the underlying fear of added tension. If it weren't for the obvious venom flowing in the air between a few choice people, they would've gladly stopped. There was major fear of anything starting again, and it was something that would be a hefty hindrance in their seemingly desultory escapade for the blue emerald.

Kai and Lloyd were beginning to feel the effects of the having the flames light upon their hand for so long. The energy was slowly draining from them and they noticeably started to sweat. Tiny beads ran across Kai's temple and he saw blond ninja's chest contract in quicker beats. He wiped away his sweat and shook his head to rid himself of his blurry vision. Exhaustion was starting to creep up on him on it would do them no good if he were to just use all of his energy. They all needed to contain, at least, half the energy to fight for any oncoming enemies if need be.

"Where is this emerald? Lloyd and I are starting to tire out," he grunted tiredly.

Gradually, the group slowed to a stop and Lloyd's relief was completely visible.

"We can't stay at a stand-still for too long. Eltanse obviously knows we are here and she most likely sent her soldiers to look for the emerald. We don't have much time," Cole said.

"Here, why don't we use the emeralds for light instead? They're it brighter so it should suffice," Chelsea suggested. Holding her gem tightly in her hand, she nodded at the two fire wielders to cease their light, which they did. Taking out his emerald, Kai held it out for it shine brightly. In combination with the grey light, the two emeralds were able to light a good distance in front of them. It was enough for each member to see where they would step. So, they continued on.

For about another twenty minutes, or so, they trekked along the smooth, hard, stony walkway. The two emeralds were beginning to brighten to the point where its captors were forced to hold it out a bit from their eyes.

"The emeralds must be close," Zane announced, taking note of the increase of brightness.

"I feel something," Jay quietly stated. The rest turned their heads to focus on the ninja who hadn't uttered a word since they had been trapped inside this cave. The blue-clad man's face was stern with concentration as he timidly stepped forward, his dark blue irises lighting up with acquiescence. In Jay's chest was this tug. It was so small, he doubted it, thinking it was just the storm of emotions whizzing around his person. But he had learned to tune the stir of maddening thunder. This atypical feeling of being pulled in was something that appeared without warning.

"What do you mean?" Lloyd asked, trying to make sense of the sudden outburst.

"There's something here and it's close," the ninja replied.

As he stepped forward, the tiny steps seemed to strengthen the fish lines and lured him towards something powerful. There was something in there calling out to him and begging for him to retrieve it. With all traces of hesitation gone, the pale-skinned man took off in a diligent sprint.

In surprise, the rest looked at each other before running after Jay, shouting his name in question. Cole's thick brows furrowed in alarm and bewilderment from the sudden event. Had the Lightning Ninja cracked? Had the conflict between he, Nya and him broken his mind and, in effect, produced hallucinatory noises and feelings? The team leader's anger towards the smaller man faded as blurring apprehension filled his tight chest. "What is he talking about?" he asked out loud to no one in particular.

"He feels the emerald," the auburn-haired panted, a perspicuous smirk growing on his face. From his peripheral vision, he saw the muscular man raise a questionable brow urging him to further explain his claim. "Before I found my emerald, I felt this pull, almost like it was magnetic, willing me to start digging in a certain place. Jay is experiencing the same thing and I believe we've just found our third emerald."

Slowing to a stop, Jay saw he was running out of the end of the long hallway. On the other side was a dome like shaped interior. It was huge and vacant. The air was damper and it smelled moist and humid. Not too far in front of him was an insanely tall chunk of rock proudly bearing the azure emerald. The precious jewel casted a brilliant glow, illuminating the weary environment.

"Woah," he admired softly. Truth be told, it was a very magnificent sight.

Behind him, the rest of the group had finally caught up to the speedy ninja. They took the moment to catch their breath before standing straight up and observing the eerily empty dome of stone. The shining gemstone was just vulnerably sitting on a slab of rock, out for anyone to just freely take it. The stony stand was at least forty feet tall and there didn't seem to be any sign of indentations to just climb on ascending stand.

But that was no problem for Jay.

Taking a couple steps back, he tensed his muscles, and gritted his teeth, before sprinting forward. On his last step, he bent his knees and easily sprung into the air. For a split second, he appeared to defy gravity and land on a wall. Because of the close proximity between the cave wall and the tall statue of stone, Jay was able to bounce between the two pieces of stone. Soon enough, he jumped towards the cerulean emerald and took it, landing dexterously on his feet. From such a long jump, he graciously fell on one knee to even out the impact. Steadily rising to his feet, his gaze still on the emerald, he held it out for showcase.

"Got it," he declared.

Lloyd nodded and looked between them. "Now we just need to find a way to get out of this place."

"I wish we knew how to teleport with these things," Chelsea muttered, her thumb running over the glassy edges of the gem. "It would make things a lot easier."

Zane looked around and tried to think of anything that would bring them closer to freedom from this place. He looked at the tall stand of stone and his apparatus began to calculate. Just as he was about to suggest an idea, a slight tremor had traveled up his body. Immediately, his body tensed and the White Ninja's pale eyes scanned the ground for anything that could've caused the sudden shake. Another shake jolted up his body and Zane was sure this was not something to take lightly.

"This is peculiar," he muttered to himself.

Apparently his concern was salient because he felt a gentle hand placed upon his shoulder. Nya's verdant eyes glowed with worry at the nindroid. "Is everything okay Zane?"

Not wanting to cause any distress, Zane was planning on just calmly explaining his thoughts, but this cave had other plans. With a deafening crack, the slab of stone that once safely held the emerald split in half, unexpectedly. The unsuspecting group jumped in fright as the crack slammed down on the ground. The Ice Ninja's eyes darted towards the ground, his senses detecting dangerous movement running straight through it and aiming towards them. Before anyone could say anything, in a moment of panic, he shouted, "Move towards the closest wall! Now!" His voice held no room for question and the others quickly did as they were told.

Moments after, the ground split into two, a hazardous line splitting them. The ground now shook without a care forcing the ninja and samurai to hold onto the wall to keep on their feet.

"What's happening!?" Chelsea shouted worriedly. She was jolted forward but was able to stand as straight as she could with Cole's help.

"The cave must be falling apart," Jay thought aloud. He looked down at the blue gem. It must've been keeping this cave steady. "It's because I took the emerald. We have to get out of here!"

Trying their best, they headed towards the hallway. They struggled to keep on their feet as the tremors began to feel like borderline earthquakes. Rocks began to fall from the ceiling and sharp-tipped, cone-shaped, stag mites struck the ground. Starting from the back, the top of the dome shaped cave began to crack, slithering to cut off the only way to safety like a snake. Zane was the first to see this and his expression contorted into one of minor horror. Cole followed his alarmed gaze and when he saw the crack growing larger, her shouted, "Faster! Faster!"

Lloyd almost stumbled to the ground from being pushed by the black-clad ninja. "We're going as fast as we can!" he reminded in pants as he tried to speed his steps up.

In a matter of minutes, Kai was able to make it along to the other side. Next, Lloyd jumped to his side. He helped down Chelsea who sighed in relief. Zane and Nya jumped too. Unfortunately, the crack had reached the safety point before either Jay or Cole could cross and it abruptly separated them from the group. The Fire Ninja's eyes widened as he saw the other two walk closer to each other, worriedly observing their surroundings deteriorate. "No! Jay! Cole!"

The stone they were upon stayed in its place as the rest of the foundation crumbled with each passing second. The piece of stone the others were on roughly began to perish. They screamed and shouted in alarm as they felt their stomachs in their throats and their stability was stolen from them.

Cole and Jay watched in fright, stumbling upon themselves as they unconsciously huddled towards each other. The Blue Ninja fell backwards and yelped as his feet scrambled to get away from the crumbling stone. "W-what are we gonna do now!?" he yelled, his voice wavering.

Looking behind him, the black-clad ninja saw that there was a little pathway leading upwards. The matter of how safe and stable that would be slipped from Cole's mind as it seemed it was the only thing that gave them the slightest chance of surviving this. "Follow me!" he shouted and then turned on his heel, taking off. Jay quickly scurried to his feet and followed after him.

As the exterior walls crumbled to dust, the wind was harshly shoved unto the ninja's faces. Because of the high elevation, the wind howled in their ears and forced their eyes to narrow down. It was more of a hassle to keep walking. Jay and Cole used their forearms as shields.

"Can't you use your scythe or something? Aren't you supposed to be the Master of Earth or something?" Jay yelled.

The snarky tone immediately ticked the dark-haired man off. He grunted as his foot was knocked against a small rock. Cole didn't know if Jay was taking out his anger on him for his delusional reasons but he was not about to entertain his childish. Especially at a time like this. "In case you haven't noticed, I don't have my scythe. And if I were to try and use my powers, there a very high chance I'll crush whatever ground is left up here."

"Can't you just summon some more ground or something?"

"I've never brought up rock to this height before. I don't think I could do it safely right now."

Jay snorted sourly. "Go figure."

That was the last straw for Cole. Abruptly turning around, a nasty scowl decorated his expression. He stomped towards the blue-eyed ninja, no longer caring about the deteriorating ground. He was just so sick and tired of Jay's attitude. First, Jay accuses him of stealing Nya and now he's belittling him for not being able to save them. He didn't see the other do anything but complain this entire time. Who was he to act like that towards him? Cole didn't think he deserved this type of treatment because he had done nothing.

"Listen, Jay, I don't know why you're so bitter towards me for something I didn't do, but it needs to stop right now. I'm sick of it," he growled sternly.

Standing firmly in his spot, the red-haired man balled his hands into fists, determined not to be intimidated by the other's strong stature. "Do you know what I'm sick of? I'm sick being trampled on all the time and everyone thinking I won't do anything! Well you know what, that's not happening this time. I know you're trying to get in between Nya and I again and I'm not going to let that happen so don't tell me you haven't done anything and act innocent!"

Cole almost gaped incredulously. He threw his hands in the air and stepped closer. "How many times do I have to tell you!? I don't like Nya! Dude, I've said that five million times already! I don't know what you're seeing but I can assure you that nothing is going on between us!"

Jay felt a surge go through his body as anger boiled in his blood. Looking at Cole just made him so angry that he wanted to crush something. (Or better yet, him). He knew Cole was lying. He had to be. Jay had seen them send each other flirtatious winks and junk like that to each other. His eyes would never betray him. And it was just like the rocky elemental master to slither his way in between he and Nya when she was angry. And that fact that the young samurai consciously decided to go along with it just made it maddening.

"Stop lying to me!" he roared, his teeth grinding against each other harshly.

Cole's eyes widened at the rumbling outburst. Ever since they'd even gone anywhere near this damned cave, all Jay has been doing is blowing up. The tiniest thing would set him off and that wasn't like the goofy ninja at all. Since the first explosion, when he had completely lost control over his anger and let irrationality take over, Cole knew there must've been a lot more going on or at least something influencing him. Jay wasn't the type of person to just go and attack someone after one offense. It takes quite a lot to set this guy off, and even then, he wouldn't be so brash.

"I thought I could trust you! I thought you were my brother! My…my friend!" Jay snarled.

From the side of Jay's waist, Cole's verdant gaze latched onto the glow of the emerald. Along with that, he saw the younger one's eyes begin to glow just like before. Then, everything clicked. The emerald must have a big part in this. It was a guess, but he speculated that the azure gem was affecting the rationality of his mind. Jay already thinks that he and Nya are having a fling but it was the gem that was making him approach this the wrong way.

Cole had to calm the earthquake inside his chest from his blue brother's last comment. It hurt way more than he would've ever thought but he reminded himself that biting back would only make matters worse. Taking a deep breath, the black ninja raise his hands in defeat. He let the angry expression melt off his face and replaced it with one of remorse and comeuppance.

"Jay, buddy, you have to believe me when I say that there is nothing going on between Nya and I! I wouldn't try and take her away from you like that," he began.

"How can I trust you!? It didn't stop you before." The blue jewel now floated beside Jay and Cole was getting worried.

The team leader shook his head. He completely let go of any defensiveness he had before to let Jay know he was being truthful. Up until now, he hadn't known how much he had hurt his friend before. "No, Jay, I only did that be-because of my pride. It was wrong on my part but I thought you were trying to one up me so I just…I just did that to show you up. But I wasn't really trying to hurt you like that. Zaptrap, you gotta believe me. I would never do that to you purposely. Especially now. I love you too much to do that. Please Jay."

The Lightning Master couldn't help but blink. Jay held back the next remark he was planning on throwing at the other. He took a good look at Cole's honest expression and couldn't help but let guilt strike his chest. What if, all this time, there wasn't really anything going on between the ninja and the samurai? What if he was the one being paranoid and his anger was just foolishness? Jay let the anger slip from his system as he thought.

He didn't want to believe Cole would do what he accused him of doing. It was just that he was just so scared that Nya would just one day leave him just because there was something better she wanted and she could not get from him. Of course, there would always be better people, but he didn't want it to be Cole. It would hurt even more if Nya left him for someone so close to him. A machine had practically told her that the muscular man would've been the perfect guy for her. How was he supposed to take that lightly? That's why he was always so critical when he viewed them together. They easily got along and both of them were determined people. To anyone else, their blatant compatibility was most definitely perfect. And that hurt and scared Jay so much at the same time that he just lost it form thinking about it so much.

From his brother's confession, Jay knew he was taking this too far. The sincerity and genuine honesty in the other's voice and body language was enough to signal the Lightning Master to calm down. Maybe it would've been a lot better if he would've just sat down with the two of them and talked it out instead of letting jealousy dictate his every move. Jeez, he has some major apologizing to do. Thinking back on his previous words, he really screwed up.

At least now he would know why Nya would be upset with him.

Jay sighed heavily. He scratched the nape of his neck as embarrassment and shame crept up on him. "C-Cole…I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

The other ninja shook his head and let out a relived laugh. He patted Jay's shoulder in friendliness. He was very happy that the emerald had gone back to its rightful place, back in Jay's pocket. "Hey, man, no problem. It's all good. I'm just glad we've-"

Before he could finish, Cole felt his heart leap into his esophagus as he found his foot connected to nothing but air. A startling scream ripped through his lips as he fell back. Jay's quick reflexes proved useful as he shouted the ninja's name and grabbed his arm. Unfortunately, the ground remaining rock beneath him completely diminished and trembled, throwing him over the edge. The two screamed shamelessly as they fell through rough air. The wind whipped their faces and an impending sense of dread filled squeezed their throats.

As Cole gritted his teeth and tried to think of something before their faces met the ground, Jay squeezed his eyes shut. He really didn't feel like staring his certain death in the eyes. He'd rather pretend he wasn't about to be a blue pancake. It was just kind of sad that this was the way he'd go, but at least he'd die without anger and knowing that any bad blood between he and Cole was at least somewhat clear.

"Hey, Jay!" Cole's voice said.

Said man reluctantly opened his eyes to see his brother smile nervously at him. He raised his brows in question, silently wondering how someone could be smiling at a time like this. "Yeah!?"

"Just in case this is how it ends, just know that it's been fun and I love you!"

Jay couldn't help but smile even though the stabbing fear of pain was edging its way through his body. "I love you too! But we're not done yet!" he added cheerfully.

The black ninja furrowed his brows in confusion. Things weren't really looking so good. He really didn't want to be so doubtful but he couldn't help but ask, "How are you so sure?"

"Grab my arm!"

Doing as he was told, Cole latched securely onto the other's arm.

Jay didn't know what possessed him to do this, but he wasn't about to question it. Grabbing the blue emerald, he wrapped his fingers tightly around it and closed his eyes. Unknown words rumbled from the pit of his throat and he let them loose with confidence.

"Inazuma!"

A bright blue light illuminated the air and washed over the ninja, taking them away from their death in a flash.

* * *

**_A/N: Jesus…I'm finally done. I've worked on this chapter for weeks. I literally had the worst writers block ever. I would write a sentence then lose all of my motivation then write another sentence and then not know how to word my thoughts and it was just all so tiring. One time, I even fell asleep (kinda) while typing and I started typing something about bananas O.o _**

**_I don't even know what's happening anymore. _**

**_In addition, school is getting harder and when people say the drama really starts at high school…believe them. _**

**_Lesson #1 kids: People will try and start shit for no reason. So if you find that one of your 'friends' likes to do this, drop them. I guarantee you, you won't even see them in four years so save yourself a lot of trouble. _**

**_Anyway, enough of that. What'd you think? I hope it was good enough and I really wanted to work on Jay and Cole's relationship. I was thinking of making Jay save Nya but it's kind of cliché to go that route so I did this. I hope you enjoyed this chapter._**

**_And thank you so much for your comments, faves, and follows! They really mean a lot. Remember, comments push me to write faster! So keep them coming!_**

**_You guys rock!_**

**_Sylvia-Ann~_**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

_"We often confuse what we wish for with what is." _  
_― Neil Gaiman_

* * *

Chapter 9

**_Jasper_**

"Patience is virtue…hmm."

The brisk hair blew past broad shoulders, and tousled through well-fixed hair. The man with grey skin watched as his flesh lightened as he smoothly stepped from the shadows of the stony cave. Gliding like ice on a hot stove, a peach color took over his hand before enveloping his person. Jasper observed with interest as the sun hit his skin, unfamiliar with the way the warmth absorbed it in contrast to when it usually just reflected off him. It was a peculiar feeling, and something he didn't really like but could not complain about.

Tucking his hands into the pocket of his pants, Jasper's crimson gaze took scan over the small city's boundaries. Hiyama City was the second largest city in the Ninjago district. It wasn't as high tech as Ninjago City, if you will, and most of the city was supported by an equal mixture of in-born crops and imported goods. Nevertheless, it was up to date and the diversity was vast considering it was a city made of immigrants.

In calm and firm strides, Jasper walked to the city.

The previous plan had been a success. The ninja had truly done what they have been known to do well. In a moment of desperation and goodwill, a member of the heroic group had managed discover another use of the Emeralds of Dualism: teleportation. It was obvious as a strong wave of indescribable power hit him seven days ago, near Glory Mountain. Eltanse had felt it too and Jasper was not at all surprised to see an ornate smile spread lazy upon the dark queen's flawless face. The wicked grin was all he needed to see to understand that the next part of this plan was to be initiated as soon as possible. Thus, his appearance.

It was vital to lead the ninja on. The next part of the plan would have to be planned carefully and strategically. Although, he was not very worried about how the results would emerge. The ninja were known for executing a mission against their opposing partners beautifully. Jasper had no doubt in his mind that this would end with the crowd cheering and the curtain closing with blissful grace. Quite literally.

Reaching the city walls, the captain silently blended in with the mass of people hurrying around to their specified designations. The young-looking man lifted his head to view where he was going. As the light turned red and the crosswalk light turned white, he crossed the street without any haste and continued on. Using his hearing capabilities, Jasper kept his ears open for what he desired to hear. Tuning out the rush of the busy cars and the miniscule sounds of everyday life, he tuned into the conversations of the townspeople. He had picked up unimportant discussions on topics that were irrelevant to him. Though, he would admit, he had concentrated a second longer than needed on a conversation about his own appearance among a couple of adolescent women.

If he cared/knew how to, he would've blushed.

Changing the direction of his hearing, he was happy to hear talk between a group of young adults, all which seemed to be athletic. Their bodies were lean but struck with muscle. Their outfits and styling options were erratic and quite bold, but solid enough to not attract eyes.

"Will WHC be at the competition this weekend or next weekend?" a skinny girl with dark red hair said, sipping her drink afterwards.

"I'm pretty sure it's next weekend but I don't know because Mr. B has been pushing us so hard. I could barely walk after practice yesterday," a boy with short curly brown hair and shaven sides said. He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head. "He made everyone run three miles because _someone_ didn't turn out her feet," he growled, irritant.

A curvy female with grey eyes sharpened her glare upon the boy and scoffed, slightly embarrassed. "When will you let that go?"

"When I can feel my legs."

Jasper had heard enough to know that the first stage of the plan had been completed. Passing by the small café, he couldn't help but smirk lightly as he looked at a large screen electronically attached to the side of a tall building. It read:

_"__Come see Hiyama City's greatest dancers perform at the Star-struck district competition!"_

* * *

**_Three days ago_**

"You gotta concentrate and just feel as though this is a life or death situation," Jay explained.

Kai held the fiery emerald in his hands and closed his eyes in concentration. Determination creased his forehead and it wasn't long until the gem began to glow, illuminating his hands. a surge of power traveled through his arms, up to his head, and down his spine. In this moment, he felt the need to grasp the jewel tighter and shout, "Kasai!"

In a flash of red, the Fire Master had disappeared from his spot. Jay blinked in wonder as he called out for his brother, silently wondering if he had teleported off the Bounty again. However, when the kitchen door opened and the red-clad ninja proudly walked out with an apple slice in his mouth, Jay couldn't help but laugh with pride. Giving each other a slap on the hand, the two smirked in satisfaction.

Their small celebration was ruined as an annoyed groan left the throat of the kunoichi. Chelsea sighed heavily and rolled her eyes as she dropped her arms. After her umpteenth time trying, she just couldn't teleport. "I can't do it," she bluntly said, shrugging with irritation."I don't know how I did it yesterday, but I can't do it today."

A couple of snickers left Kai and he added, "Weak," earning him a side glare. Jay went up to her and chuckled as she made a whining noise, exaggerating her affliction. "Oh come on. You're just not trying hard enough. Yesterday you were all about it, that's why you got it just like that," he snapped his fingers to add emphasis.

Chelsea gave the Lightning Ninja a funny face and he replicated her expression, rolling his eyes in a teasing manner. "Okay, again."

"Does Kai have to be here?"

Jay raised a brow. "What's wrong with Kai being here?"

Said man crossed his arms and smirked smugly. "What? Do I intimidate you? Afraid that I'll laugh?"

Chelsea shook her head. "Nah, your hair is just really bothering me," she said in a matter-of-factly tone.

Jay choked on the air in his throat and covered his mouth to muffle his laughs. Kai gaped with a look of disbelief but then narrowed his eyes. Quickly ridding herself of her giggles, the kunoichi smiled innocently and said, "I'm just joking!"

The brunette gave her a look and just nodded ignoring the playful punch on his arm he received from her. "Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, thunder thighs."

"Oooh, do you need some aloe for that burn?" Jay added under his breath, enjoying the playful banter between the two.

Immediately, Chelsea's playful smile dropped and it was replaced with a grim one. "You wanna fight me or something?"

"I'm just joking!" Kai taunted in a higher-pitched voice, laughing as the woman pulled a face.

"Please," Chelsea murmured before bursting into a fit of minor hilarity. Shaking her head, she quieted her own laughter to get back on task. It was essential that they all perfect teleportation for it would be very useful in the future. Jay had gotten it down in a day and Kai was slowly achieving perfection. She needed was still lagging a bit behind. If they wasted time, not only would they regret in later times, but Sensei Wu would make sure they would rethink their choices the next day. "Okay, c'mon. Focus."

Jay and Kai nodded in seriousness. "Okay, Kai, why don't you keep practicing and I'll work with Chelsea," the blue-clad ninja spoke. He turned to the female ninja and smiled in determination. "In an hour or so, you'll be traveling to Paris in a matter of seconds."

The Master of Shadows nodded in understanding and smirked. "Can't wait."

* * *

**_Sensei Wu _**

He took a sip of his tea.

The old Spinjitzu Master sat politely on a soft rug. With his legs crossed in a respectful manner and his hands folded neatly in his lap, Wu let the calm and peaceful atmosphere soak into his mind. In the midst of the emeralds and Eltanse, Wu hadn't had the time to even think about just meditating and allowing the world's tranquility sooth his aching mind and beating heart. Finally, the chance to just sit and feel had appeared brightly and he took it without hesitation.

At last, he had time to think in a calm manner.

In all his years, and they were many, Wu had never been so worried about the outcome of a journey. He had been faced with many trials and hardships, but this specific event was something he'd even imagine. With a vast mind in set, sensei allowed himself to think. To truly think of what had been collecting in the back of his mind.

Another sip of tea went down his throat.

If he was going to be honest with himself, he was a bit, well, frightened. In a matter of days, he, his students, and the entire world had managed to become entangled in a battle so old, it was thousands of years before Ninjago's creator had been brought to life. Their enemy was unheard of. Little information was known about the very gems that the survival of the planet depended on. Yes, this wasn't the first time an enemy had appeared unexpectedly, but at least someone knew about them. No matter whom it was, they knew enough to help find their way to success. But now, it was a different ball game.

Eltanse was not to be messed with, and their second encounter with her proved that. A couple of his students had come back clinging to life with little strength. They had given it their all to protect that emerald and in return, the jewel had unpredictably aided them. From what he had heard, it was like nothing they'd seen or heard of. It was like the beautiful ending to a fairy tale and the magnificent contours of true heroism had outlining the sheets of evil. Kai had transformed into a guardian and Wu had enough evidence to reason that the first Master of Fire had settled into the young ninja's heart. It was a hypothesis, but he figured that the original masters of the elements still possessed the emeralds. Their powers and hearts were still locked inside, free for use to anyone to use at their will.

Wu drank some more tea.

The Emeralds of Dualism were just what their names stated. Their guardians may have been created for good and safe protection, but they were made to be of equilibrium to both good and bad. They were a mix and perfect solution of light and darkness.

To put it bluntly, that kind of sucked. It just made this entire process harder.

With that all aside, there was just something Wu couldn't wrap his mind around. Eltanse was the Queen of the Shadow Realm. So she must be a goddess or at least something of that sort. She was a deity of nightmares and darkness. Wu assumed she had the ability to take control of darkness. She could control shadows, but there was just something about the wicked witch that told Wu that she held a lot more power than she proclaimed. He now understood that there were indeed different realms and beings out there, but as far as he knew, it was rather difficult to travel between them without causing damage to the web of time and space. So, just how did the emeralds appear in the same plane without any interference? And how did Eltanse know about it and have the power to travel between her kingdom and this realm?

A frown embedded deeply on the old man's expression and Wu grabbed, hastily, for his tea. He brought the white cup to his lips and was undoubtedly disappointed as he felt nothing but a tiny drop travel into his mouth. He set the cup down and blinked in dissatisfaction.

"Well that certainly is a pity," he spoke.

Just as he was about to get up and make some more, he turned his head to see his nephew walk by.

Wu smiled happily. "Perfect…" he muttered, "Uh, Lloyd?"

The blonde boy hummed in wonder before walking backwards and into his uncle's private room. He slid the door open and blinked in question. "Yes sensei?"

Laziness would forever be Wu's enemy. "Would you mind making more tea for me? It's the Herbal Tea. Thank you, nephew."

"Well, actually, we ran out," Lloyd explained.

Wu hummed in inquiry and raised his brows. "How can that be? I just made some not too long ago and there was still a bit left."

The Green Ninja chuckled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, well, about that. Uh…Kai, Jay, and Chelsea kind of got themselves into trouble and might've, accidentally, teleported off the ship." As Wu's eyes widened considerably, Lloyd hurried to explain further. "They're fine now! They managed to teleport back on before they hit anything but they were kind of jumpy so we gave them the tea. You always said it calms you down, right?" he chuckled warily.

Wu sighed in both relief and minor irritation. As happy as he was knowing all of his students were still alive, this meant he had to actually get up. Internally groaning, the elder arose from his sitting position and grabbed his bamboo stick. "Alright then. I guess this means we will have to go out a get some more tea."

Lloyd laughed awkwardly, "Yeah. Sorry abou-wait," he blinked. "We?" His face dropped and his shoulders did so too. "Why do I have to go? I didn't do anything," he complained.

"I didn't realize this was a form of punishment," Wu smirked, giving him a peculiar side-eye.

Realizing what he had just said, Lloyd stuttered upon his words as he tried to make up for it. "I-I mean-it's not! It's just I was h-heading over to help with…um…lunch! Yeah, and I um-"

"We must hurry if we want to make it before it closes. It closes early on Sunday's. Oh, and it's been awhile since I've been on your dragon. Do make sure you are careful. It is a bit windy today," Wu chuckled before leaving the room.

Lloyd groaned. "Why do bad things always happen to me?"

"Nephew!?"

"Coming!"

* * *

**_Cole _**

Hunching over in his place, his thumbs steadily moving over the control panels of the game device, verdant green eyes lazily scanned over the TV screen. Cole blinked, unimpressed, as the screen flashed: Winner.

There wasn't much to do today, surprisingly. Ever since Eltanse had showed up, it seemed as if they never had a break. For awhile now, nothing had occurred and an attack hadn't been laid upon Ninjago. The elemental master supposed he should be a bit happy about that, but he couldn't help but feel something really wrong in the pits of his stomach. Or maybe it was just the fact that he didn't enjoy having free time on his hands. When he was left to waste time, Cole found that his mind would make him paranoid over nothing. It was a bad habit he had developed with having the responsibility of a human being's life placed upon his shoulders.

As he filled in his name in the high score category, yet again, Cole smiled brashly as Kai's name was erased off the board. The mere thought of the hot-head's face reddening in frustration was admittedly a pleasant feeling.

_That should show him._

Cole blinked.

Show him what?

…

After a few moments of dumbly staring off at the screen, Cole dropped the remote in his lap and threw his head into his hands. His fingers roughly ran through his hair and down his face, causing fading red streaks upon his cheeks. He massaged his temples in irritation.

Why was he angry?

His mind went back to a few hours ago, finding the three gem holders on top of each other, groaning in pain. After some coaxing, Cole discovered that Jay, Kai, and Chelsea were teleported off the side of the Bounty's placement upon the high mountain and began free falling. Somehow, and thankfully, they were okay but he watched them just lie there and gather their bearings from the near-death experience. Kai had been the first one to recover and was able to prop himself up into a sitting position. He looked over to the kunoichi and asked if she was okay. Chelsea only nodded but she kept her face hidden, reaching out for his hand. He grabbed it without hesitation. Jay turned over onto his back, his head lying across Chelsea's calves. It looked very uncomfortable but it didn't seem like he cared as he took giant breathes to calm his nerves.

Eventually, the three shakily stood upon their feet, nodding at each other to make sure the other was okay. Cole checked over with them once more and then sent them to go rest and make some tea to calm their nerves. They had done enough practice for today. Obediently, the three went ahead.

Lloyd had conveniently been in the kitchen and helped with the tea. Cole's hearing was acute and listened as the three shared conversation.

Kai looked over to Chelsea who covered her eyes with her hands, her head bent down in silence. He rubbed her back and raised a careful brow. "Hey, Chels, are you sure you're okay?" he asked with a hesitant smile.

The dark-haired woman nodded and let her hands fall from her face. She smiled tightly and blew harshly from her nose. "I'm fine. I'm fine," she repeated, as if trying to convince herself that she was. "Just a bit…shaken."

"If you're sure," the red-clad ninja said warily. "Just know Jay and I wouldn't have let anything happen."

Cole oddly felt a bit of frustration from that but continued to pour the boiling water in the cups.

He heard her snort but laugh quietly. "I know. I know." Chelsea quickly ran her fingers through the front of his hair, messing the erratic pattern up. Kai grunted in surprise and his hand immediately went to fix it.

"Watch the hair! That takes hours, y'know."

"You look like you have a major case of bed head, kid," she scoffed.

Kai faked a hurt expression. "Ouch."

Cole let a placid idiom cover his face as he and Lloyd gave the tea to the ninja. They thanked them gracefully and quickly drank it, burning themselves in the process. The Green Ninja stayed to talk to them about it, boredom inflicting him. The black-clad ninja decided to leave and preoccupy himself with something else.

As his back had begun to hurt, Cole found his finger drawing patterns across the hard, glossy, floor. He sighed heavily and his face fell in realization.

He was angry at Kai for being so close to Chelsea.

_Of course. _

It was just that, now that he really thought about it, the two had an instant connection. He didn't know when it happened, but he was a bit peeved about it. It wasn't like he was a jealous…he guessed; just kind of frustrated with that fact that he couldn't make connections like that so quickly. For example, in the cave, when he and the Shadow Ninja had gotten in a bit of an argument, she had immediately set in taking Kai along to make him even angrier. Even before that, once she had left his side, she went to sit by Kai instantly. Chelsea had chosen Kai as a partner during training immediately. Just today they even held hands and it was like it was natural for them. They always laughed with each other, always joked around, and sat by each other. Hell, Kai took the power of the emerald after she was beaten and thrown into the ocean. The one time Cole and Chelsea seemed to be making some type of connection, it was Kai that disturbed them and, guess what? She went after Kai to help him. She just always went straight to him.

It just wasn't fair!

_Shit. _

Cole's brows fell. It wasn't totally the Fire Ninja's fault but he couldn't help but feel distraught towards him because…because Kai was easily able to make Chelsea like him a lot. In what way, he didn't know, but he was secretly hoping it was strictly platonic. But there was that large boulder pounding on his head telling him he needed to be more social and plausible if he wanted to have people closer to him. But he didn't know how to without feeling awkward and needy and—

He really thought this little _crush_ would disappear by now. Cole didn't really understand why he liked Chelsea in the first place. Yeah, he was attracted to her but why did he like her so much that he got…envious. Maybe it was because she was girl and they weren't exposed to that gender too often. So maybe it was just hormones and testosterone. He did like Nya for a little bit and it was partly because of that reason. In that situation, he had real reasons for his fondness for the strong-willed, beautiful, samurai. Cole shook his head.

Maybe he just didn't want to admit the reasons to himself.

On another sour note, he and the woman that had suddenly caused him distraught hadn't really made friendly contact with one another since their last escapade dealing with the blue emerald. Of course, they had to speak with each other sometime, but the noticeable tension and awkwardness between them was causing the black clad ninja to become anxious. Looking back, he really regretted snapping at the others while his acerbic mood got the better of him. It was just the confusion that caused him to go rigid and he knew that was no excuse but he really didn't know what else to do. Coles thought that the slight anger between them had blown off when the group returned to the Bounty, but he had been proven wrong.

He couldn't even ask her if she was okay. Not only because of his sudden discomfort, but because she hadn't even passed him a glance.

That hurt him more than he'd like to say.

Cole got up from the floor and put away the remote control and turned off the television. With the sound of static decreasing with each second, the Earth Master almost stomped his way out, wanting desperately to go to his shared room. He clenched his jaw in minor irritation, anger beginning to tighten his chest. All this confusion and frustration was hammering down in the pits of his stomach and he did not appreciate this happening all because of a _woman_.

Cole closed his eyes, really trying with arduous difficulty to calm his flaming emotions down. He coaxed calming techniques to subdue his hidden short temper but found they were not working. Having to bite back a growl, he grasped the traditional Japanese-themed door and abruptly slammed it to the side. Something hit his chest, causing a dull ache to radiate upon the sun-burnt skin. Unfortunately igniting his temper, Cole's eyes flashed and he opened his mouth to rudely spout his anger.

He closed it quickly.

If he could move his mouth, Cole would've cursed towards the sky because he knew this could not have been a coincidence.

Chelsea fell, clumsily, to the ground; ungracefully trying to lessen the bounce of the fall with her hands. She winced as the impact pinched the bones of her wrists. She hissed, shaking one hand. Cole knew he should be doing something or at least hinting to the fact that he was sorry for knocking her down, but all he did was stare, his thick brows scrunching together.

The kunoichi's dark eyes lit up with realization pertaining to the situation. Chelsea's voice caught in her throat as she saw the expression on the team leader's face. Pathetically scurrying to her feet, she held her hand in nervousness.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I-I wasn't paying attention," she quickly apologized, looking to the floor in turbulence.

Cold dumbly left his mouth shut for an uncomfortable amount of time before answering warily. "I-It's fine."

She nodded and hurriedly changed the subject. "Uh—do you—I mean would you happen to know where L-Lloyd is? Kai said he would be in the training room but he wasn't."

_Of course you'd ask Kai first._

"I wouldn't know. Try asking sensei," he said.

He quickly noticed her mouth subtly flinch and wondered why. Chelsea smiled to the ground and nodded before turning on her heel, muttering her gratitude. As her figure minimized with each quick step, this strong urge to just reach out and talk the tall woman pounded against Cole's chest. For minutes, he stood, staring out into the distance, his verdant green eyes glazing over in a daze. He really didn't know how long he stood there, looking as if he didn't care if the world crumbled to the ground. Neither did he care if he looked stupid. Cole was just really confused because at that moment, he realized his words did not come out with the tone he thought they had. With his statements replaying in his head, he realized how stern and off-handed he sounded. It was a still a matter of why his throat took on that deep, dismissive, sound. And there still lied the question of why Chelsea hadn't spoken or retorted back when he knew that woman did not appreciate nor tolerate any type of rudeness.

Cole sighed heavily, rubbing his temples as a headache threatened to spread throughout his head.

Maybe a nap would be good.

* * *

**_A/N: Heeyyyy! Update!_**

**_Okay, so I was really excited about writing this because I finally get to introduce more of Jasper. I can't wait for the story to move on and finally display more of his character. Looks like there's something going on with Cole hmm? ;)_**

**_Anyway, there's not much to say about this chapter._**

**_I hope you enjoyed!_**

**_R&amp;R. Thank you._**

**_God Bless You_**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners. **

* * *

"_If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough." _

― _Mario Andretti_

* * *

Chapter 10

_**Lloyd**_

Tightening his grip the reins of his elemental dragon, the blonde ninja narrowed his eyes in concentration. The wind blew harshly against his face, swimming through his golden locks and blowing past his attire. The cerulean sky was bright and the clouds of today were soft with delight. Behind him, his uncle sat ingenuously, his grown out snowy beard flying graciously in the wind. Lloyd wished he could see behind him to take in the guaranteed comical sight, but Wu would not appreciate it if they were to die just so he could snicker about it.

They had been in flight for over ten minutes now. According to his uncle, their location had been commodious. Apparently, not too far away from the Bounty was a place known, across Ninjago, for their Herbal Tea. Wu had suddenly dived into the different variations of the calming drink, even supplying history facts upon how the tea was created and founded. Lloyd tried his best to nod and give the occasional 'really?' but after sixty seconds, he discovered he had mastered the art of tuning Wu's voice out. Eventually the elder caught on to the fact that his dear nephew had probably heard about a couple sentences of his history lesson when he asked what his favorite kind of tea was and received, "that's cool." Shaking his head in amusement, Wu took to meditating instead and occasionally thinking of what type of Herbal Tea he would select this time around.

Lloyd caught sight of several sky scrapers poking through the light clouds. Leaning forward, he sashayed the chains and the dragon dipped down at a mild pace as to not stir Wu wrongly. Once the view of the large city was revealed, Lloyd called for his uncle's attention.

"Sensei, is this the place you were talking about!?" he shouted over the roaring wind.

Tilting his bamboo hat, Wu took a peek and his grey eyes brightened with recognition. "Yes it is. Now land just outside the city so we do not cause unnecessary commotion."

"Awesome," Lloyd nodded.

The emerald dragon roared confidentially as the Green Ninja smacked he chains against its neck and leaned forwards. They soared down, spinning in the most erratic patterns. Sensei Wu yelped in surprise and was able to grab his hat just before it flew from his head. His stomach flew up to his throat and he struggled to keep his eyes open because of the speed at which they traveled.

Not at all liking how careless they were suddenly traveling, Wu could barely speak. "L-Lloyd!? Don't you think you're going a bit too fast!?"

Although tears were being whipped out his eyes and his face felt like it would fly off at any second, Lloyd smirked mischievously, his naturally dark brows scrunching together in ebullience. The thrill of ride pumped adrenaline throughout his body, alleviating all other worries his mind harbored. For now, the blood rushing in his ears was all he could hear and the blurry pictures of his environment was all he could see. He laughed with buoyancy, the wings of his dragon closing in to gain velocity.

Wu's eyes were now wide as the ground was running towards them at a startling pace. He was not ready to become friends with the pavement just yet. Now full on gripping his hat, the frightened elder closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, his mind closing up and accepting death. Despite the fact that he had trust in his young nephew, this moment of panic caused his mind to lay onto an irrational bed; the sheets of trepidation wrapping him up in a cold cocoon. Sensei Wu prayed to the heavens that the impact would be numbing instead of agonizing.

The thrilling Green Ninja saw that they were close to the lands of the Earth. In one powerful pull, he leaned back, grunting in strain. The large dragon quickly pointed its head upwards and swiftly performed a back-flip before settling onto the ground with a gracefully bow. Dirt on the paved grounds blew away from the landing and the dragon's powerful breathes. Lloyd laughed in triumph and pride of the excellent landing, silently noting that the other ninja would've been impressed.

He jumped off the friendly beast. Lloyd shook his head, his hair flying about his head. He ran hand through his hair, brushing his bangs back to that of his liking. A handsome grin graced his expression and he looked onward to the city his uncle described. Taking in its extraordinary buildings and attractions, he nodded.

"We better hurry, uncle," he said with lightness, "you said the store closed early on Sunday's, didn't you?"

Lloyd didn't hear the disoriented moans from his relative. Wu jumped off the dragon, allowing the beast to be absorbed back into his nephew's body. The young teen took confident strides towards the city, leaving Wu stumbling about, imaginary tweet-y birds flying around his head.

"I didn't know Blue Jays were n-native to Ninjago," Wu mumbled, gulping back his morning's breakfast.

…

The older lady behind the counter was cordially pleasant; a lot more compared to the one in Ninjago City.

Her kind green eyes warmed Sensei Wu's heart. She handed him a bag full of tea packets. Wu muttered his gratitude, his eyes lazily narrowing as he took in the sweet old woman's graying brown hair, wide eyes, full cheeks, and thin red lips. Admittedly, she was quite pleasant to his eyes.

"Have a nice day sir," she cheerfully said, her soft and light voice tickling his aging ears.

Wu didn't know why his mouth had decided to take a mind of its own, but he was glad it did. Completely forgetting about his nephew who gave him a confused and slightly grossed out stare, Wu set down the tea bags and smiled dazedly. "Actually, I do have a couple questions if you don't mind me asking," he said.

The woman blinked before smiling comfortingly. Wu felt his heart flutter and a blush spread across his cheeks as she fixed the basic-black framed glasses upon her pointy nose. "What can I do for you sir?" she asked.

"Please, call me Wu."

The woman blushed but nodded. "Nice to meet you Wu. I'm Catherine."

Lloyd almost threw up in his mouth when he heard his uncle _giggle_. The way Wu leaned over the counter told Lloyd they'd be here for awhile and there was no way in Ninjago he'd sit here and watch his seemingly two-thousand year old relative flirt with some old woman.

Maybe some sight-seeing would pass the time. Being a ninja had its perks and everything, but he couldn't remember a time he actually traveled to a place to just take in the scenery. So without as so much as a single sound, the young teen slipped out of the store.

Immediately, Lloyd was hit with the spectacular sights of Hiyama City. Although the sun was quite bright, the town's beauty was still magnificent. There were countless buildings scraping the skies and statues made of golden-colored material all over. The citizens were buzzing around, most in a hurry while others were just cruising around and enjoying their free time.

In his younger years, the young ninja was too busy trying to impersonate his father, and striving to live up to the conjectured persona of a villain. The two things he cared about most were sweets and causing terror, no matter how minor that was. Then, when he had become aware of the prophecy, foretelling his destiny to defeat the dark lord, well, Lloyd was a bit isolated from the world. Now, that wasn't contemptible. No, in order to make up for the lost time, it was required that he use every minute he had to train to be his best. And even after the defeat of the Overlord, Lloyd was far from the end of his journey…or at least that was what his dad and uncle said.

With that being said, he didn't get out much. In retrospect, it was kind of hindering his social development but he'd worry about that later. It wasn't everyday that he'd get the chance to walk around like a normal civilian and take in the highlights of big cities.

Out from his left, he saw a small band creating harmonizing music with household items, attracting a tiny crowd. Not too far from them was a painter who had realistic paintings of historic figures around him as he put his paintbrush to work. If he had looked a bit longer, Lloyd could've sworn he saw his grandfather somewhere there.

His child-like attention proved worthy as his eyes darted over to different attractions, his sapphire irises glittering with approbation towards everything. The brisk winds but heavy humidity provided a sense of normality and town-life. Lloyd paid no attention to the goofy smile on his lips when a vendor passed by him, fluffy cotton candy decorating the cart. Love at first sight was what he felt as his eyes closed and his thin, skinny, nose inhaled the heavenly aroma. Performing a perfect 180 degree spin on his heels, Lloyd let his enlightened nostrils lead him to a path of sweet euphoria.

Cotton candy had always been his favorite treat. It was probably the one thing that could make his knees weak and his eyes drunk with stupor. In just one bite, he could devour it challenging the Black Ninja's appetite for cake. The jiggle of coins made him all the more happy because he knew in a matter of minutes he'd have that sweet cotton-like sugar melt on his tongue and—

"Oof!"

Falling to the ground, Lloyd was grunted roughly. A fleeting ache in his chest knocked him out of his trance. Rubbing the side of his hip, Lloyd opened his eyes to see a man with dark hair and piercing eyes looked down at him with worry.

"Oh dear, my apologies. Are you alright?" he asked, holding a hand out.

Shaking his head, Lloyd took the stranger's hand but used his own weight to lift himself up. He bowed politely and apologized. "No, it should be me who should be apologizing. I wasn't paying attention," lifting his head, the young one gave a reassuring smile, "But I'm fine. Thank you…" he trailed off.

Crimson irises glinted with confidence and Lloyd found himself tilting his head to the side a bit, brows furrowing.

_Is he wearing contacts?_

"Jasper," the tall man said, a handsome smirk on his pink lips.

"Lloyd."

Jasper hummed in understanding and pulled his hand behind his back, an analytical gaze upon the shorter one. Lloyd quietly noted how his entire stature was rather proper, how well styled his hair was, and how he was quite the looker. If he was going to be honest—he was kind of jealous. The man had to be in his early twenties—maybe even still in his teenage years—but the atmosphere around him was really mature.

"You look like you're a dancer," Jasper suddenly said, unexpectedly close to Lloyd's face.

A small crimson blanket covered his cheeks from the close proximity of the man. "Uh—me? A d-dancer?" he stuttered, completely at lost about how Jasper would even come to that conclusion. That's the last thing he'd ever think of himself.

Out from behind him, Jasper shoved a flyer into the boy's hands. The smirk on his face stayed confident as Lloyd's demeanor melted under his intimidating gaze, his finger struggling to keep still. "Have you heard of the dance competition coming up this weekend?"

"Um—uh no, b-but I'm not really a—"

"I heard the year's competition is going to the best yet. The toughest dance companies of Hiyama City and neighboring villages will be competing for the ebony emerald."

"That's cool and all but—wait what? The ebony emerald…?" Lloyd's eyes widened as realization struck him. With sudden urgency, he asked the man with red eyes, "Would you possibly have a picture?"

Jasper pointed to the sheet in the ninja's hands. Lloyd's eyes narrowed and then widened dramatically as a clear picture of the large jewel was depicted on the paper. Instantly, its distinct patterns and shapes triggered his memory.

It was one of the Emeralds of Dualism.

"The black emerald," he whispered.

Entranced by how coincidentally he had run into the next emerald, Lloyd failed to notice the flashing of something inside his pants pocket. Jasper blinked in curiosity and tapped the young one's shoulder. Lloyd hummed in question and Jasper pointed to front pocket of his jeans.

"I think your phone might be ringing," he pointed out.

Fiddling into his pocket, Lloyd brought out his emerald detector device to find it blinking and ringing. This was all the reassurance he needed. Stuffing it back into his pocket, smiled in determination. Before bolting back to the tea shop, he gazed thankfully at Jasper.

"Hey, I gotta go, but thank you so much for the flyer!" he exclaimed before turning on his heel.

"Lloyd," Jasper called out. The blonde teen looked over his shoulder. "So will I see you at the dance competition!?"

Lloyd grinned broadly. "You betchya! See you later Jasper!"

Waving him off, Jasper's eyes followed the young one until he was out of his sight. Folding his hands behind his back, a wicked smirk edged its way onto his handsome features. Jasper quietly turned around and took collected strides away from the scene.

"I will see you soon, Green Ninja."

* * *

_**Jay**_

He still had yet to apologize to Nya and the fact that he hadn't conjured up the courage to face her yet made it all the worse. The thing was, he wasn't so fond of that scrutinizing look she always gave him each time he did something really stupid. It just made him feel more idiotic than he really was. Well, it wasn't like he didn't deserve it. Looking back on his choice of words, he was grateful the only thing that the petite woman had done in retaliation was ignore him for the time being. He was even more appreciative of the fact that Kai hadn't been filled in on what kind of words had been exchanged at that time.

Jay shuddered as the brisk scent of burnt flesh flamed his nostrils. There was one time Kai had made the conceptually wrong assumption that he and Nya had slept with one another and Jay was trying to sneak out of her room when it was just that Jay had bumped into a wall that was coincidentally Nya's. Of course, the samurai had gone to help but it seemed the quiet thud had attracted the brunette and he was on fire.

Literally.

That was a memory he hadn't wanted to relive anytime soon. In Jay's opinion the guy was a pretty chill dude but sometimes his obsession with protecting Nya at all costs kept him on his toes 24/7.

Zane winced as the screwdriver was jolted into the interior wall of his back. "Shoot," Jay mumbled, "Sorry buddy, my hand slipped."

The Polish nindroid nodded in understanding. "Again, thank you for taking the time to fix the joint of my shoulder. I believe I didn't tense my arm enough and might have shaken a bolt loose."

Jay shook his head and smiled in an assuring manner. "No problem Zane! You know it's not a bother at all," he said in a sweet tone.

Again, the nindroid nodded with a pleasant smile. He faced forwards and allowed his brother to continue his work, but his smile fell a bit. Living with his fellow ninja for awhile had given time for Zane to decipher their body languages. By his side, his pale eyes took note of how Jay's sock covered foot would tense then relax. His toes would curl up and crack multiple times. Also, the number of times Jay's hands had slipped was more times than on average. Something was bothering him and he had reason to suspect it had something to do with his outburst on Glory Mountain.

"Jay?"

"What's up?" the blue ninja replied.

"Is everything alright?"

Jay's lips puckered a bit in question, his eyes still focused on the task at hand. "Uh yeah. Why wouldn't it be?" He held the bolt in its place while he screwed it in.

"You look as if your thoughts are astray," Zane said honestly.

Instantly, he knew he had hit it on the nose as the Blue Ninja froze for a split second, his hands fumbling with the simple tool. Jay stuttered over his words, desperately trying to cover up his flustered state.

"O-Oh? Really!?" he laughed nervously, "Well, I-I mean, with everything g-going on and uh…yeah it's just that um—well I ah…" With nothing else coming out, Jay could only continue to chuckle in nervousness as Zane said nothing. He hoped that the platinum blonde would drop the promising conversation but found that had been in vain.

"I presume it has something to do with Nya," Zane bluntly stated.

Jay sighed. Silence took over as he finished tightening the bolt in the ninja's shoulder. He closed the compartment and threw the screwdriver in the open cabinet. He let his legs dangle over the bed. "That obvious, huh?"

The older one smiled a small one.

The silence that spoke to the skillful nindroid spoke volumes. His eyes scanned over his brother's twitching toes, twiddling thumbs, and down-casted eyes. The blue irises that were normally brighter than the sky itself were dark with sorrow and his back was hunched over. Zane hadn't even taken a second to analyze before he knew that whatever had really happened back there had affected Jay. As much as he knew, there had been some misunderstandings and false accusations that were obviously cleared up between he and their fellow brother, Cole; the two of them closer than before. But, not once had the calm ninja seen Jay and Nya even cross paths with their eyes.

Jay shifted in his spot. "It's not like I meant what I said," he blurted out in a fast pace, "I was just being dumb and let my anger and jealousy get the best of me. I wouldn't blame her if she wanted nothing to do with me. After what I said, I have trouble even looking at myself." He sighed heavily, his eyes glossier as he spoke, anger setting in his voice. "Argh! I'm so stupid! You know what? I don't even deserve Nya. She hasn't done a single thing to me but I continue to just prove to her why I wasn't the best choice and I just—"

"Jay, now hold on—"

The shorter one threw his hands in the air and began to pace. "She's right, I'm the biggest assclown in the entire world!" The fact that Jay even cursed made Zane widen his eyes. _Oh dear._ "I just had to be the delusional, paranoid, insecure, freak I am and let it destroy one of the best and _only_ romantic relationship I've ever been in. Way-to-go Jay Walker! You really scored a big one this time!"

Zane steadily rose from his spot and cautiously tried to reach out for the fuming ninja. Tiny blue sparks shot off his body and the fear of short-circuiting waned on the Ice Ninja. "I think it would be best if—"

"Why don't I just go ahead and buy fifty cats and accept that fact that I'll have to spend the rest of my miserable, lonely, life picking up cat litter and baby sit animals for a living?" he chuckled humorlessly, "While I'm at it, why don't I just retire? No one would miss Jay Walker: the ninja who runs his mouth and screws up everything for everyone. He was the master of something pretty cool, but he was so screwed up it cancelled it out. Haha! Great!"

In order to prevent a blow in the electrical system, Zane ignored the tiny pricks that ran up his arms and placed a calming hand on both the younger one's shoulders. Jay hummed, blinking himself out of his anger fueled rambling. Zane gave him a funny look, a pristine eyebrow raised in minor amusement. "I am sure you would be a phenomenal animal sitter, but the world needs you a lot more, my brother."

A small blush ran through the younger one's cheeks. Jay scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "Uh…that's probably true. Hehe…sorry for rambling."

Zane shook his head and smiled charmingly. "It is quite cute," he teased.

The blue clad man's blush reddened even more. "Z-Zane!"

Patting his shoulder, Zane just smiled. Then, his face softened into one of reassurance. "If I may, my advice to you would be to confront Nya and apologize for your errors."

"I-I can't just do that!" Jay exclaimed, "She wouldn't even take me seriously. 'Oh yeah, by the way, sorry I called you a slut just because I was mad at you before and I thought you and Cole had a thing again and I got jealous. I still don't really understand why you were mad before but, wanna go out tomorrow?' It just doesn't work like that Zane!"

The Polish robot made a surprised face. "You called her that?" He then made an unhappy face. "Jay, I'm disappointed. That was not the way to go."

"Thank you Zane. It's not like I didn't know that."

Reminding himself of the main issue, Zane blinked back into focus. "Nya is an understanding person. She is not one to just shut out all perspectives; especially one from you. I am almost one hundred percent positive that she will at least listen to what you have to say. It is obvious she hasn't lost all romantic feelings towards you."

Jay sighed. "You think so?"

He nodded. "More than that," Zane confirmed. "And in that time, you two can also discuss why she was angry with you before. That way, the air will be cleared and the chance to start fresh will be even higher."

It only took about ten seconds of contemplation for the shorter one to come to a decision. Jay's expression was determined and brightened considerably. He nodded in understanding and gave the Ice Ninja a thumbs up. "Thanks Zane. The pep talk really helped. I think I'll go talk to Nya now. You're really good at this relationship stuff."

As Jay made his way towards the door, Zane smiled. "You are welcome my dear friend. And thank you."

As the door shut closed, the gentle robot looked away, his pale eyes drawing an odd gaze.

You know, now that he thought about it, relationships seemed quite hard but unusually fascinating.

* * *

_**Kai**_

It was getting really hard to keep his mouth shut.

Like, _really_ hard.

The deadly atmosphere radiating off of the two females sitting beside each other made him want to curl up and die. His natural born curiosity was edging him to ask what happened, but there was also his common sense knocking him on the head and telling the fiery ninja to get up a skedaddle. Two women who could possibly end him with just a single glare wasn't something he wanted to mess with, but then again, the reason he even came to his sister's room was important. It seemed that Lloyd had located the black emerald. Apparently, besides Sensei Wu, he was the first to know and the young hero asked the older one to round up the others so they could set on the journey quickly.

"I wish murder wasn't illegal."

Now, it was just the matter of how to bring it up.

Before Kai could even utter a word, he was sucked in like a black hole and forced to sit quietly as the two vented. So, now he was on the floor, sitting awkwardly while Nya and Chelsea sat on the edge of the samurai's bed. Why they chose for him to listen while they blurted personal issues was beyond him, but deep down, he felt a bit honored.

"The entire male species is literally so dense I don't understand how they think they're superior to us. Like, please inform me," Nya grumbled.

"If you have a dick, you're apparently a king!" Chelsea exclaimed with mock enthusiasm.

Normally, Kai would've at least said something by now, desperately defending his severely bruised ego, but he made the wise decision to keep quiet.

But ouch.

"And why is it that if a girl takes charge she's bossy but if a man does he's a boss?" Nya continued.

"And why is it that if I even have one speck of hair under my arm it's disgusting and unclean but a man is allowed to have a freaking jungle growing out of their armpits? Sorry I have hair on my body?" Chelsea exclaimed.

"I hate society."

Actually, now that Kai thought about it, that was a really good question. Why was it so unattractive when a woman had hair on her body other than on her head and eyebrows? Well, he didn't necessarily mind it too an extent. He preferred if woman shaved but it wasn't a big deal to him if they weren't clean cut all the time.

But he didn't think it was an appropriate time to share that.

Nya fell back on the bed, a heavy sigh slipping from her red lips. Chelsea leaned over, placing her arms on the tops of her knees. She groaned, a comically exhausted expression on her face. "Sometimes I wish I were gay."

"Same."

"For the record, if I was, I'd totally go for you," the kunoichi grumbled.

"I'd be honored," the shorter one openly replied.

For some odd reason, images of very perverted scenes of his sister and the female ninja filled his head. Kai's face glowed up brighter than the time Lloyd's pants fell in front of everyone. The Fire Ninja shook his head, gripping the sides of his face as he shouted at himself, "Stop it Kai—NO!"

He scrambled off the ground and stomped around childish. "Stop, stop, stop!" he exclaimed, trying desperately to rid himself of the _very _wrong images in his mind. Why the hell did he find it so—_no_. You know what? Never mind. He needed to focus on the task at hand and stop diddy-daddling.

He opened his eyes and realized that the others were giving him really weird looks, their eyes narrowed and lips pouted.

"What, do you now have something against gays?" Nya mumbled to her flustered brother.

Amber eyes widened significantly and his spiky hair stood on edge. It reminded the women of a frightened porcupine. Kai shook his head faster and waved his hands around frantically. "What kind of question is that!? Of course not!"

"Then why are you getting so defensive so suddenly? Calm down and stop all that mindless yelling," Chelsea said, a bit irritant. She stuck her pinky in her ear to accentuate her point.

His bruised ego from their venting moments ago rose and reminded him of his short temper. A vein almost popped out of his forehead and he swore his teeth were gnashing. "You annoying brats! The only reason I'm here is because you two dragged me in here, forced me to listen to your whining, and took multiple stab wounds my masculinity! Who cares about your boy problems! I've got something important to tell you!"

Nya and Chelsea watched, uninterested, as the hot-head burst into flames from his needless anger. They began to snicker to each other much to Kai's displeasure. "I came here to have a good time and I'm honestly feeling attacked," Nya said in a mockingly high pitched stereotypical girly voice while Chelsea almost doubled over.

The two bit their lips in order to keep from laughing as Kai screamed in their faces, using colorful vocabulary to express his irritation and fury. He growled, "If you really don't want to know about how Lloyd found another emerald then fine!"

Their hilarity left them instantly. Nya and Chelsea blinked, clearing their humor and serious expression plastered upon their face.

"Nani?"

"What? Lloyd? He found another Emerald of Dualism?"

Kai turned from them, his arms crossed stubbornly. "Why so serious all of a sudden?"

The young samurai growled at his childishness. "Kai, now's not the time to get butt hurt!"

Unimpressed groans left the two as the red-clad ninja dramatically wiped a 'tear' from his eye. "I-I'm not butt hurt…" he sniffed.

"Kai, please," Chelsea pleaded sternly, "If Lloyd found it, Eltanse could be on his trail or even with him. She could be—"

"Calm down, he's fine." He dropped all the games and adapted a serious attitude. "He's on his way now but he's only located the emerald. He told me to round everyone up so we could discuss a plan of action."

"Then we've gotta hury! Let's go!" Chelsea exclaimed.

Before Kai could even say anything, the Grey Ninja took off, her long legs lunging her forwards with great speed. He choked on the air in his throat as Nya grabbed his limp wrist and basically _dragged _him along. He stumbled, almost face planting as they all took off.

In front of Nya's door, Jay suffered in cold sweat as he contemplated on how he was going to go about apologizing to the tough samurai. He frowned at his weakness and made the decision to just charge ahead. His hand raised to knock upon the wooden door and a startled yelp tore from his throat as a strong hand gripped his wrist.

Jay was most certainly surprised as his feet felt as if they weren't touching the floor. Ahead of him, he saw Chelsea take large and powerful strides towards the control room, his wrist in her grip.

_Geez, she's going to leave a mark._

"W-What's with the rush?" he panted.

"Lloyd found the next emerald!" she replied loudly.

His eyes widened from the new information. "Really!?" he said with excitement but his smile fell off his face when he almost fell from losing his concentration for a split second. "Do w-we have to go so fast?"

"My question exactly," Kai commented from behind him.

"The sooner the better."

* * *

Translations: Nani-What

_**A/N: Girl Power! Haha! [Maybe I should make this a Nya/Fem!OC story. I'm sure Kai would like that; that cute lil perverted fuqboi…XD jk]**_

_**A friend of mine read this before I posted it and he was like, you're touching a lot of touchy subjects there and then he got this evil look and then said, "Perfect," and I laughed. **_

_**I don't know if it's just me, but I love writing when it comes to baby Lloyd. He's just my precious cinnamon roll. I have this head cannon that even though he's all grown up—boring and all—he's still obsessed with sweets.**_

_**But, long time no see!**_

_**EOCs have been tough and now the final exams are showing their ugly faces. But we will get through it fam! Summer is almost here and I sense a lot of chapters in the near future…**_

_**Study hard kids! School is almost over but please please please continue to do your best, if circumstances apply, in school. Work hard until the very end.**_

_**And should i post my head cannons for the Ninjago Charcters? Comment your opinions on that and the chapter!**_

_**You guys rock!**_

_**See ya soon!**_

_**Sylvia-Ann**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

_"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night."_

_—Steve Marti_

* * *

Chapter 11

_**Cole **_

He already knew where this was going, and he didn't like it one bit.

There was not a chance in the fiery pits of blistering hell that he was going to go through the misfortune of forming yet _another_ boy-band for the fate of the world. As far as he was concerned, the fate of the world could still be ensured its invulnerability without having to sing and point feet.

"Oh come on, we did it once before, I'm sure we can do it again!"

Shaggy black hair swayed along with its owners head as he looked away, a defiant and stubborn expression creasing his forehead. "No." It was a single and definite answer and it caused a few huffs around the control room.

Kai ran his face down his face, a tight smile on his thin lips. He stepped forward and Cole crossed his arms challengingly. "Look," the brunette sighed, "I don't like the idea of prancing around again either, twinkle toes," Cole grunted warningly at the nickname, "But if it's what we have to do, then we gotta do it. You know? For humanity." He ended with a lame tone, a less than enthusiastic frown plastered his face.

"We can get the emerald another way; one that doesn't involve my dad. You guys know how he gets with these things."

Jay almost whined in annoyance. "Were you even there the last time we said we would just steal the fang blade!? Your dad almost blew a gasket!" he reminded, the ninja shuddering at the unconcealed rage the Black Ninja's father prevailed through his kind yet stern demeanor.

"I never said anything about stealing the emerald," Cole quickly argued, "I just said there was another way to obtain it."

"What are we gonna do? Ask the winner to give us the emerald? I highly doubt they'd consider it, even if it meant saving the world. People are in this to get the emerald," Nya pointed.

"More so like to beat their rival," Chelsea said, "That's pretty much the point of competitions; to make your rival eat dust."

At this comment, Cole was reminded of the kunoichi's background with modern dance. Noting the excitement on her face he could tell it was going to be hard to convince them not to follow through with asking his father for help. But he used her comment to his advantage. "She's right. I'm sure we can come to agreement with the winner. There's no need to—"

"Why don't we just try?" the newest ninja interjected. The dark-haired man was caught off guard and made a sound of surprise. Well this was the first time in days she had actually spoken directly to him. "It'll be fun! You guys won the last competition, so it shouldn't be hard at all to win this one!"

The optimism wasn't sitting well with him. Cole understood dance was her element or passion or whatever, but that didn't mean it was everyone else's. It _definitely_ wasn't his. He shook his head. "Even if we did try, there's no way we'd have a chance. The last competition was more of singing and in sync movements. Like quartets. This one is more modern. My dad is strictly traditional." He internally winced as he evoked the time Kai mentioned something about adding dubstep and his old man almost had a heart attack.

"Then we'll just go to my old dance studio. No problem," Chelsea shrugged. "It's also in Hiyama City. I'm almost one hundred percent positive they're also entering in the competition."

"They'd be okay with us just budding in?" Lloyd asked.

She waved him off. "Oh it'll be fine. They'd be happy to help."

"Then I guess it's settled. Cole, don't bother trying to get out of this one. We aren't going to your father, so it's all good," Jay chimed.

As the rest moved out, all the black-clad ninja could do was mutter curses under his breath. Everyone prepared to leave for Hiyama City and he trudged after them. His emerald eyes darkened but widened in question as Chelsea stopped in front of him and turned in her spot. He blinked as she gave him an encouraging smile, hands behind her back.

"I'm sure this'll end up for the better. From what I've heard, you don't like dancing, even though I'm sure you're a fantastic dancer," she chuckled nervously, "but it's got to mean something if the Black Emerald is the prize for a dance competition. So please, bear through this? For me? Then you can chew me out after it's over. I'm sure it'll make you feel better."

The small rant made the taller one raise his brows. Cole looked down at the woman and had to stare for a bit, ignoring the awkward silence, before realization hit him. A pang of guilt ran through his chest, making his features soften. _The cave_; the very thing that had pushed his mind to the brink of exhaustion and forced him to nap on had obviously also been on Chelsea's mind also. Recollections of words resulted from a mixture of frustration, confusion, and hurt had caused the Earth Ninja to become irrational in his thought process.

Yes, Cole realized maybe telling someone, who was still a bit insecure of their performances in skill, that basically they didn't know how to control their powers was bad. Yeah, he did know that maybe he shouldn't have told her what she was doing to pass the time was stupid. Sure, it wasn't leader-like to become so enraged at other events that he completely disregarded the fact that not everyone was out to annoy him and call them immature. In his defense, she didn't have to continue to the argument and try to piss him off more. Even so, they were both in the wrong but he started it, so it was fair that he should be the one to hold more of the blame.

He sighed. _She believes what I said about her. Nice going Cole. Bet Kai never told her she sucked at being a ninja. _To relieve himself of this headache, he knew an apology was desirable, and what better time to give one.

"Hey, listen," he started. The feeling of embarrassment and shame began to beat his ego and Cole had a strikingly hard time letting it ensue. "About what happened in the cave, I'm—"

"Don't worry about it," Chelsea interrupted, waving her hands dismissively, "It was a stupid argument and I shouldn't have provoked you." She smiled apprehensively.

The Grey Ninja had a knack of interrupting him and he would say it was an annoying kink, but it was quite amusing to see her fumble and shift anxiously. Cole noticed with charm as dimples on her cheeks became prominent. For some reason, it calmed the rapid beating of his heart.

It was kinda cute.

"No, I was wrong for even starting it. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for being rude and that I'd hate for there to be any hard feelings between us." The confession was a bit lame for his taste, but it was all he could conjure up at the moment. His eyes were open with hope for the acceptance of his apology. Cole bit the inside of his cheek in a nervous habit as Chelsea looked down at his extended hand, a weird look in her eyes. Dread and discomfort filled the crevices of his mind, seemingly suffocating his chest and prickling his scalp. She didn't accept the apology. He couldn't even get mad at her because it wasn't like everyone forgave everything just like that. But, dear Overlord, this was awkward.

Just before he was about to shrivel up and die, Chelsea slapped his hand away. Now, that was totally uncalled for. Hitting was not needed. Cole scowled, forgetting about making peace and held his hand protectively. "Hey! I get you're still mad but—"

"I don't do handshakes," she interrupted yet _again_. Lifting her arms up, she smiled cheekily and Cole swore his heart skipped a beat. "Come on," she urged, "I don't bite."

The team leader let out a heavy breath through his lips, his bangs flowing upwards. He shook his head as her fingers motioned for him to bring it in. A deep chuckle emitted through his throat as his arms wrapped around her waist and hers embraced his chest.

They stayed like that for a couple of seconds before splitting apart, although Cole still kept his hands on her. He would be lying if he didn't admit that he felt a lot better and content after that.

Chelsea patted his chest. "Now, let's go win that emerald."

* * *

_**Hiyama City**_

It would've been awfully simple if they had just traveled aboard the Ultra Dragon, but apparently, the four combined dragons couldn't be bothered.

The ninja swore they were becoming more spoiled with each passing day.

The large dragon curled within itself, the four heads lying with dead weight upon the ground. No matter how many nudges and bribes the ninja gave to the usually agreeable creature, it just grunted and snorted them away.

Jay frowned in frustration as he gently stroked Wisp's head despite its contentious attitude. "What's up with you, huh?" he inquired. The blue head purred against his touch before suddenly growling in irritation and shaking away. The Master of Lightning didn't take lightly to this and kept pestering. Jay was then suddenly knocked away, in a swift blow to his side. A small yelp cracked through his lips as he tumbled back. Kai quickly came to his side and helped him up.

"You okay?" Jay nodded quickly and muttered his gratitude. Dark sapphire and amber gazes stared uneasily at the grumbling creature. It seemed to give him more or less of an annoyed glare. "I always knew Wisp was a bit of a diva, but geez." They watched as Cole tried to coax Rocky with avowals of roasted chicken and other favorite treats but the bulky dragon simply groaned. It only mannerly acknowledged its owner's presence in respect.

"He won't budge," the black-ninja concluded, concerned emeralds lying upon it.

"Maybe they're just tired," Lloyd suggested. He stood besides Chelsea and Nya who also gave quizzical stares. Even when the younger ninja had prodded for the Ultra Dragon to come out of its semi-comatose state, all four heads whined, as if they were pleading with him not to become angry. Usually, if Lloyd had shown any type of interest in its abilities, the dragon would perk up, flashing its best features. The Green Ninja normally turned to his own elemental dragon and it was a bit jealous from the lack of affection.

Just a tiny bit.

But now the four heads only mewled temporarily before closing they're eyes. The heroic group blinked in surprise as soft snores sounded the cave.

Nya hummed in confusion. "Are they sick?"

Zane's face was tight with bewilderment. Pale blue irises glowed and a silent examination was taken over the being. He blinked a couple times, his apparatus assessing the overall being of the Ultra dragon. "All temperatures are at a medium of 85˚F. Even with Shard's colder temperatures, she is still healthy," he soothingly ran his hand along her snout, "And their body doesn't appear to be fighting to stay in homeostasis meaning there are not any apparent illnesses."

"They were fed this morning too and I let them out for about two hours yesterday…" Kai speculated, crossing his arms.

"Did anything happen while they were out?" Nya asked.

"Not that I'm aware of. They came back unscathed and normal."

Not much was known about dragons in this plane. These mystical creatures weren't even supposed to exist in this realm. It was only assumed that such beings as these had their own way of surviving in any land they choose and could find the means necessary to survive. Sensei Wu couldn't provide much information than what he heard from tales that were passed down from generations, vulnerable to alteration. To the ninja, they were more like giant scaly-textured spoiled dogs than ruthless blood-lusting animals so they were treated as such. If there was anything the group hadn't known about the needs of a dragon, the four beasts were more than happy to show what was appropriate. When they had returned untied, the now single dragon still took to their regular routine.

Of course there were days where some of the heads of the Ultra Dragon seemed more hard-headed than others, but it was a quick fix. If the feathery threat of a punishment didn't subjugate the immaturity, then a simple hardened order from any of them usually had them up and running. But this behavior seemed a bit more than just puerile act.

For one, they seemed bothered and exhausted. It was kind of hard to tell a dragon's facial features considering all the jagged teeth and the wide jaw; it almost seemed as if they were always somewhere between smiling and frowning. But it wasn't hard to tell that there was annoyance in not having their way for a bit. Before they laid in peaceful slumber, each head frowned, growled, and whimpered in discomfort. Now, the snouts were relaxed a bit and the large talons upon its paws let up on assaulting the dirt ground. Wings of large size folded in neatly on its back.

The nagging feel of inexorable worry had Cole's chest tighten unnervingly. Seeing his lively dragon suddenly so eager to just drop dead was making his scalp prickle. "Is there something we should do?"

Sensei Wu mediated on the situation for a moment before shaking his head in the slightest. "If the Ultra Dragon does not appear to be in pain of any kind, it is best if we leave it be. There is not much we can do at this point with the lack of information we have."

It was the best they could come to, so they all agreed on their sensei's words. With one last glance and a couple quiet words of hope, the group separated from the slumbering creature.

"Hopefully they'll be alright by the time we get back," Lloyd said.

"In the meantime, your elemental dragons will be of use," Sensei Wu commented.

Chelsea tilted her head to the side a bit; a small crease of confusion and puzzlement marked her expression. She made a sound of worry as the ninja began to spread apart. Minor embarrassment filled the pits of her stomach as they looked at her in question. "Elemental…dragons?"

Kai's golden eyes brightened in realization. "Oh yeah! You don't have an elemental dragon—well I mean you _have _one, but you haven't, like, unlocked it. Now that I think about it," his eyes squinted in a tantalizing manner, "you haven't even learned Spinjitzu yet." The Grey Ninja could only look down in discomfiture as blue and red snickered under their breathes; even Nya hiding a few chuckled under her hand as the tall woman crossed her arms and mumbled a few choice words.

"It will take time to unlock one's true potential and all the abilities that come along with that," Sensei Wu intervened. Wise old eyes appeared a bit more youthful as a teasing gleam shined within grey irises. "I'm sure you would understand, Kai, seeing as you were the last to unlock your true potential."

Immediately, the smug grin was wiped off of the brunette and somehow traveled upon the female ninja's face.

"Ooooh, you walked straight into that one!" Jay guffawed.

Grumbling irritably to himself, Kai kept quiet for awhile.

The old man subtly smiled to himself and nodded, his bamboo hat once again covering the majority of his face. "With that being said, Chelsea will just have to ride with one of you. I will ride with Zane," he gave an unnoticeable pointed look at his nephew, "he seems to be a bit more mellow in his movements." He shuddered at the memory of this morning's ride.

Chelsea watched with amazement as a flash of magnificent white light filled the air and left a magnificent dragon in its wake. The ice themed creature was beautiful as it roared; signaling it was ready for any orders its master would give. Zane was sitting comfortably, waiting for the wise elder to jump aboard. Once settled in place, the White Ninja lifted the silver reigns in a controlled movement and large, _sparkling_, wings tore through the air. Her brown eyes glittered in awe at the take off, a nice cool breeze kneading through her clothes and hair. The meaningless action wasn't probably as dramatic and brilliant as she was making it out to be, but to have never even seen this before had the young woman speechless.

She gasped as more humid winds hit her from behind and she spun on her heel to see Kai and Nya in the air, the latter waving to her before they took off. Chelsea smiled and returned the kind gesture.

Once they were out of her sight, a feeling of awkwardness began to set in. Obviously, she would ride with someone, but it was sheer humility and politeness that kept her from using her voice. To give herself some time to decide what she would do, she let her eyes linger upon the beautiful blue and cloudy sky. The crisp fall air made its hue a bit dull, but it was still nice to look at. Chelsea sighed to herself and gazed down at the patterned rocks of the pavement. In nervous habit, she played with the threading of her hoodie, her legs suddenly feeling prickly from the material of the leggings she wore.

She didn't know why, but her usual comfortable attitude towards the boys disappeared and she could feel her face heating up. By now, Kai would've said something and they'd just be on their way; he always wanted things to keep going forward. But he wasn't here and for some reason Jay wasn't cracking a joke to ease the awkwardness she felt.

Deciding that acting like a shy school girl wouldn't entice anyone to ask her to ride with them Chelsea toughened up and looked up. Her heart punched her ribcage as she met wondering kind emeralds. Cole smiled comfortingly through the unbearable anxiousness he felt. She saw he was set to speak but her eyes averted to her side at a timid voice.

"He-hey, do you wanna, uh, ride with me?"

Just the fact that he seemed so fearful of rejection but desperately tried to hide it caused a huge grin to spread upon her dark lips. Also, childish giddiness filled her chest. She was going to get the chance to ride on the legendary Green Ninja's dragon! Back where she was from—and pretty much everywhere—the blonde teen was an icon, a large topic among the population; him and the other ninja. If she were going to be honest, Chelsea had been fascinated by the Green Ninja; solely his dragon. Each time she'd seen it on TV or on a magazine of some sort, her breath would leave her and her cheek bones would tire from smiling so widely. It was the Green Ninja for crying out loud. She hadn't really thought much of it now, but here she was, offered to ride upon the legendary creature that _took down_ the Overlord.

Goodness.

Unexpectedly, the Master of Shadows bounced in her spot and jerked forward catching the teen of guard. "Really!? You'd let me ride your dragon with you!? Oh my gosh, this is awes—" her eyes widened in realization of her excitement and stuttered, struggling to find her composure, "Uh-I-I mean…ah—that's really cool." Chelsea's shoulders lifted upwards and she smiled bashfully at the stunned green-clad ninja. "S-sorry."

There was a couple seconds of intolerable silence before Lloyd snorted, the red tint on his cheeks fading away. "Your eyes got so wide, they almost popped out of your head." His shoulders shook and Chelsea pouted immaturely.

Lloyd blew a big breath out of his nose, a large grin threatening to split his face. He winked playfully as the kunoichi whined in irritation. Turning around, he looked a bit over his shoulder. "Hold on to me, and make sure you have a good grip. My uncle wouldn't appreciate it if you split your skull open."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Her arms encircled his neck from behind; it was easier considering their height differences. Chelsea struggled to keep in a shout of surprise when a physical form manifested underneath her. She and Lloyd were propped up at least fifteen feet in the air. Surprisingly, the leathery/scaly skin of the dragon didn't bother her like she expected. Maybe it was because she was too enraptured at how its palatial roar sent shivers down her spine. The kunoichi shut her agape mouth and looked down at the ground. A bit of fear began to creep into her person but she pushed it back and let her joy replace the space.

_I'm on a fucking dragon._

"Hold on tight!" Lloyd reminded loudly over the wind because before he was even finished with the sentence, they were air born.

And what a wonderful feeling that was.

…

The rest finally caught up to the fire and ice ninjas after a bit. Hiyama City was about twenty minutes from the monastery; not that long of a flight. The ninja took their time, no rush in their minds. Even if the Emerald of Dualism was somewhere in the large area, they had come to a silent agreement that soaking up leisure time from this would be nice. It wasn't as if there were any suspiciously violent reports coming from there anyway.

A mixture of laughter came from the two upon the Dragon of Energy. Lloyd struggled to keep straight as Chelsea kept pestering his golden locks, complaining he was long overdue for a hair cut despite the fact that she was smiling into his hair, seemingly enjoying its soft texture. He retorted playfully and laughed out loud, shamelessly. The older woman only shook her head and continued to look around at the brilliantly white cotton-candy like clouds. Sometimes her legs would have a chance to brisk by the substance when the dragon ran through one.

At this particular one, she leaned to her left a bit, keeping her grip on the other's shoulder. A strain left her throat as she struggled to touch the cloud. Her dainty fingers danced on the airy-like puff and a bright smile lightened her expression. Lloyd's eyes narrowed in devilish gander and he tilted to the left; enough so that Chelsea screamed bloody murder and went ballistic.

It was worth it. Even when the arms around his waist were near crushing his ribs; even when his ears went red as Chelsea screamed at him, her colorful vocabulary tainting whatever innocence they had left. In the midst of it all, the powerful winds had swept away her hair band and she proceeded to blame him for her inability to see. Sapphire irises took a look back and Lloyd saw her curly hair press against her face, the woman struggling to get it off her eyelids. Her hair was much curlier than usual; so curly in fact it was puffy. All he could really see was a big—cloud if you will—of ebony curls flying around her head.

"I should've blow dried it straight last night. Good thing I have another hair band," Chelsea grumbled to herself but shrugged moments later and smiled at Lloyd's stare. "You like?" she joked, "My curl pattern is completely destroyed but check out this afro."

Seeing her in a completely natural state made Lloyd hum in happiness and he gazed back to his front. "You should keep it like that more often."

His serious tone made her pause. Chelsea blinked a couple times and leaned her head forward to get a good look at the other's face. "A-are you serious?"

Lloyd made an indifferent gesture with his shoulders. "I don't know. I think it looks pretty cool. I like it."

He didn't think much of the statement other than he probably killed the exhilarating mood. Lloyd blushed lightly at his words but found his face's temperature rise even more as he felt a pair of lips on the spot between his ear and cheek. His eyes widened and his voice left his throat. Chelsea smiled warmly, giving him an affectionate squeeze. "That was sweet. Thank you."

It took some time to recover from his shock, but he did eventually.

"No problem."

Chelsea looked forward. "Now, let's blow this popsicle stand! We're going too slow!" she shouted.

Sapphire eyes squinted in challenge. "Slow you say?"

The dragon almost chirped in excitement and hurdled forwards before delivering a slick back flip and speeding around. Chelsea held on tight but cried out in thrill while Lloyd's adrenaline pumped coarsely through his veins.

It was a cute sight.

The rest watched with silence until Jay broke the silence, an expression of unbelief on his face. "The kid's a total womanizer," he laughed.

"He learns it from the best," Kai said, amused. He then turned dramatic and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "Oh, they grow up so fast."

Nya punched her brother's shoulder and said with droll, "Oh cut it out you two perverts. Chelsea's like four years older than him anyway."

"Maybe he has a thing for older woman," the blue one said thoughtfully.

Kai nodded in agreement. "You know, I always thought Lloyd would like older woman, especially ones with huge ass—"

"Kai."

"I was gonna say assets, geez. Get your head outta the gutters, sis."

Cole made a sound of disgust as he rolled his eyes. "Like that's _any _better."

The fiery ninja casted the muscular man a look of pure tease. It tormented the black-clad ninja when the brunette snickered diabolically. "What? Are you jealous, perhaps?"

"Hop off it, hot-head," he growled.

"What if I don't wanna."

"I'll make you."

"I'm sure you wouldn't force Chelsea off your—"

Before the conversation was extended to unbearable lengths, Zane cleared his throat loud enough to interrupt plainly. His face was almost grim as his pointedly stared at his beloved brothers-in-arms. "My apologies for interrupting, but let me remind you that our _sensei_ is present within our midst," he said audaciously.

The silence was terrible for many but Kai seemed to be the only on indifferent upon it.

Sensei Wu sipped upon the tea that derived from—Lord knows where. His lips smacked at the delectable taste, steam blowing past his aging skin.

"Let's forget this conversation ever took place and maybe I'll let August 22nd go," he suggested.

How he ever found out about their little whiskey-shot-taking-night was beyond them, but there was no hesitation with their choices.

"Deal."

* * *

**_First and foremost, Happy Father's Day to all fathers around the world! _**

**_Okay, to be completely honest…this chapter was shit—complete and utter bullshit just to fill in the missing pieces of the plot._**

**_Well...it may not be completely useless and I may just be a bit biased considering I didn't like how it came out, but by all means, I hope the dirty joke I stuffed in there at least made SOMEONE other than myself chuckle. But I don't even expect anyone to catch it because I haven't seen sunlight in two weeks and I think it'd do me good to spend some time off my damn laptop and stop laughing(crying) when my brother says the word pudding. Seriously, he and my friends are worried about my well being because mint leaves are hilarious to me…but the ninja drunk? Totally going to write something about that. _**

**_Anyway—SO HOW ABOUT THE NEW SEASON OF NINJAGO! I've watched episode 45 and no joke I cried because Kai and Lloyd are so close(gay) and all brotherly(GAY) that it's so fucking gay and I'm literal Ninjago trash. But who cares! _**

**_Well that's it fam. Enjoy your summer and I'll hopefully update soon._**

**_Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. They mean a lot and motivate me to stop sleeping and actually type._**

**_You guys rock!_**

**_Sylvia-Ann_**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

_"Oh goodness! I haven't seen you all in ages...and I'm still hottest one-thank goodness, right!?"  
—Unknown _

* * *

Chapter 12

_**Chelsea**_

The heroic group lowered their altitudes in order to get a clear view of how far long they had traveled. The Grey Ninja pointed out that the dance studio they would be attending was near the northeast side of Hiyama City. Although it took some time to determine whether their left was north or their right was south, in time—and with a more or less irritant tip from the wise old man—the ninja and samurai found where to ground.

Agreeing to land a couple miles from the outskirts of town, the ninja took to landing. Lloyd grunted lowly as he thwacked the metal chains against the verdant dragon's neck. Sanguine roars left the mouths of each dragon before their wings inverted in to gain more speed.

Still unused to such great speeds, Chelsea clenched her eyes shut and squeezed her abdomen to lessen the feeling of her stomach flying to her throat. She tried to hold back from tightening her grip on the younger boy's body, but found that her brain was more worried about her personal safety rather than if his torso would end up with bruises; she'd have to ask him about it later. The dragon began to lean forward, and in turn, she felt herself jolt forwards. Immediately, Chelsea ducked her head down, ignoring the minor whips the blonde ninja's locks gave to her face. There was just this little strip off fright leeching onto her stomach and traveling up her body. She silently prayed for her swishing tongue to continue to push back the bile down her throat.

Surprisingly enough, the roller-coaster-drop sensation lasted only about five seconds before she became numb to the feeling. Chelsea conjured enough courage to slowly peek from beneath the hoods of her eyelids. Her eyes stayed thinned to keep the forceful winds from whipping out her eyeballs but she could clearly see the large city become close in proximity.

Cordial feelings of nostalgia had the dark-skinned woman smiling whimsically. It was refreshing to see this place. It held so many wonderful memories in her heart and made her grin threaten to split her face in half. Hiyama City was still the same as ever with a few new buildings and remodeled establishments here and there. The sun's shining gleam was still as prominent as ever and made the whole place glitter with a dream-like glow. Childish giddiness bubbled in her chest and Chelsea couldn't help but let a small curt laugh blow past her lips, her body relaxing a bit.

"You okay back there?" Lloyd's voice came strongly enough to get past the hurdling winds.

Chelsea blinked, coming out of her trance, and shook her head with a blissful smile. "Never better."

She felt him nod. "Okay, get ready for landing then. Hold on tight because it can get a little bumpy."

Doing as she was told, her arms tightened around his torso and she squeezed her legs tightly against the dragon's back. Just as the ground became very clear in their sights, Lloyd pulled back on the reigns and Chelsea forced herself to hold back a squeal of surprise. They were lurched backwards in order to slow down. The Dragon of Energy roared one last time as it fell back on its hind legs to land. With a heavy thud, it dropped down on all fours.

The Green Ninja jumped off the elemental creature and helped the older woman come down, grabbing her hand on the way down. Chelsea watched in amazement as the mythical beast flashed away in a quick second.

Zane and Sensei Wu walked towards the duo, the four of them patiently waiting till the others had safely landed. In due time, everyone managed to take to their own feet. From there, they walked towards the city and Chelsea would be lying if she didn't admit her heart was pounding with dallying happiness.

…

"Oh my goodness."

Her tiny voice was almost swept away in the cool fall breeze but the jovial amenity in her words was clear-cut. Memories flooded her memory bank and Chelsea's eyes widened dramatically. The clean beige building with white rims that stood before the group was a large one. It spread over an entire section of the street and just walking to the front doors took a bit of time. The dance center was about two stories. She took in the sight of the large ruby, elegantly, cursive font displaying proudly for all to see.

Intensity Dance Academy(IDA).

For a moment, all the tall woman could so was stare; staring seemed to be the best choice as she tried to keep from completely reducing to a puddle of overjoyed tears and just flat out embarrassing herself. But the balls of her feet were bounced upon and her fingers straightened out by her side, making her efforts to stay mature fruitless.

Suddenly hyper-aware of the group behind her, Chelsea walked forwards. Before she could catch herself, she was more-or-less skipping to the large establishment's front doors, her lithe fingers tingling in their wake as they embraced the sleek red handles. Why she was acting as if opening these glass tinted doors was like unleashing the power within Thor's hammer when the chosen lifted it was beyond her. But it was like she needed to prepare herself for a moment she never thought would happen again. After years of just swinging this open with nothing but a finger, after a couple years it had reduced to a nostalgic run down memory lane.

When the excitement was at its peak and threatening to implode her physical being, Chelsea decided it was time to stop being dramatic. With a swift grunt and a less than powerful pull, the two glass doors swung open with no resistance. Before fully running in there and just inflicting mayhem, the fairly new ninja waited until the others were caught up. A large smile assaulted her face and she promptly ignored the small giggles and weird looks they—mostly Kai and Jay—sent her.

"This place is huge," Lloyd commented as his sapphire eyes roamed around the place. Countless trophies scattered to shelves built near the ceiling.

As she closed the door behind the youngest one, the full feeling of arbitrary elation hit her. "Yeah it is." The entrance room, decorated with sleek black and silver chairs for waiting parents, was empty. Near the front were five flat screen TVs that monitored the rooms in the building. Chelsea peered up at the one on the far left and her deft grin became heftier. "Follow me," she chirped before walking towards a long hallway.

There were about three doors in the hall and she was heading straight for the one at the very end; the largest room on the first floor. Before she could open the door, her teacher's voice reached her ears.

"Perhaps we should wait until class is over before we make our presence known. We don't want to disturb them," he calmly said gazing through the glass. The up-beat music was suddenly turned off and muffled voice of criticism was heard, but Chelsea only smiled. This place made her do that a lot.

"Don't worry, Sensei Wu. We won't be a disturbance at all."

Before anyone could say anything, she pushed the door forwards and let it swing open to reveal their physical appearances. Chelsea stood up proudly as she smiled at the room full of dancers she remembered as clear as day. Her brown eyes thinned from her smile as the students all paused in their spots and turned their head to look at who had come in.

The strong scent of sweaty bodies and feet hit her nostrils and she laughed out, "I'm back!"

A curvy girl with silver/grey hair and caramel skin, who looked about the same age, quite literally leaped her way to the kunoichi, enveloping her in a ferocious hug. She turned to face the class, keeping her arm on the taller one's waist.

"Surprise!" they both said and were happy to see the rest race to welcome the ex dancer.

A chorus of the kunoichi's name filled the air and Chelsea found her heart beating rapidly from the joyous atmosphere. Speeding his way forwards, a tall muscular boy with fair/tan skin, hazel eyes, and messy short jet black hair lifted her from feet. Making a sound of happy surprise, Chelsea wrapped her legs around his hips and enjoyed as he twirled her around.

"Chelsea! You're back!" he exclaimed, setting her down.

"Marcus! I'm here!" she hugged him for a second more before pulling away. "I missed you so mu—"

"Yeah, why are you here? We didn't want you back!" he said with a fake smile, his Brazilian accent soft. Chelsea's face dropped and she pushed him away only to have a bucket of laughter leave his lips. "Still sarcastic as ever I see," she huffed.

Marcus smiled brightly at her grin. "Glad to have you back, amor."

The young woman then turned to a girl with dark skin and dark blue curly hair pulled back by a headband. Chelsea embraced her tightly and laughed as the other squealed, lifting her slightly off the ground. "It's been forever since I've seen you, girl! How are you?" she exclaimed.

Once back on the ground, Chelsea pulled the waist band of her leggings up. "I'm great—fantastic now." She marveled at the girl's dyed hair. "And I missed your colorful hair Cass. Please dye it purple next time. It'll look so good."

"I'll think about it," the girl giggled.

"Chelsea!" A smaller girl, thin, with vibrant wavy red shoulder length hair, and astounding green eyes leaped into Chelsea's arms. The ninja wasted no time in spinning her around and kissed her on the cheek. Nearby, a boy around the same height and a bit on the thin side but lean with muscle also attacked her in a ferocious hug. Her thin hands ran through the auburn curly hair on top of his head and rested on a shaven side.

"Geez you guys were like thirteen the last time I saw you. What are you now? Fifteen? You guys have grown so much."

The girl was set on her feet and the fraternal twins' face brightened with identical smiles. Jacob, the tanner one, crossed his arms and rolled his green eyes. "Well, that's what happens when you grow. You change, duh."

Chelsea gave him a look and pinched his cheek. "I see Matty B Rapps wannabe still has that smart-ass mouth. Now I was hoping that would change," she teased as Jacob smacked her hand away.

"Don't call me that," he bit.

"Did Isabel know you'd be here?" Jessie, the girl, asked.

Said girl stood over by the ninja and samurai while she seemed to be scrolling down a list on her phone that was hooked up to the aux speakers. Isabel pulled her colored hair in a ponytail, her grey eyes glittering in amusement. "I told you guys I had a big surprise for you and the others today and you thought I meant more conditioning."

"Best surprise ever!" Cassandra laughed.

Chelsea couldn't help but just stay quiet and swallow in the scene. This was just a small portion of her large family. The rest of them were probably somewhere learning dances or at home. Blissful ecstasy filled her drunk and she was excited to see the rest of her close friends. In fact, speaking of which, she suddenly became aware of the people she came here with. Oh my, it must've been really awkward for them right now. Again, reminding herself of her manners, the Master of Shadows spoke up.

"Hey, I'd like you to meet my friends." Purposely, leaving out the fact that she was traveling with the world famous ninja, Chelsea pointed each person out, trying as much as she could to avoid any awkwardness. "Nya, Sensei Wu, Lloyd, Cole, Jay, Zane, and Kai meet Cass, Jessie, Jacob, Marcus, and Isabel." She sighed heftily, "What a mouthful."

Knowing the group for a bit, it was easy to detect that some were a bit more…ambivalent than others. The only ones that seemed pretty much comfortable with the situation were Jay, Zane, Sensei Wu, and Nya; which she was thankful for. Surprisingly, the more bashful ones were Cole, Kai, and Lloyd.

The young teen with curly hair walked up to the team and gave them an inquisitive stare before his verdant eyes illuminated beautifully. "Wait a minute," he muttered to himself reviewing their faces, "You guys are the ninja aren't you!" He blinked merrily at Nya and Wu. "And you're Samurai X and you're that bad ass sensei!"

The elder man smirked pride-fully, his old eyes youthful for a split second. "Yes I am," he chuckled under his breath and the ninja rolled their eyes.

Jacob's breath caught in his throat. "This is way past cool. You guys are like my idols! What are you doing hanging out with Chelsea—"

Before he could continue, the dark-skinned kunoichi thumped him on the back of his head and pulled him away before he implanted his face on them. Chelsea sent Jacob a warning glare and the boy sent matching one to her, their identical heights making it easier for him.

"Okay Justin Beiber, I have friends ha ha. Laugh it up," she mumbled, irritant.

I've only been here for five minutes and I can't catch a break.

Sighing hopelessly, the young ninja rubbed her head and turned on her heel to see Cassandra and Jessie join Jacob in smothering the group in well deserved adoration. A small smile graced her lips as she observed the ninja, samurai and sensei light up at the endless compliments, their eyes glittering and cheeks heating up. It was an awfully cute site and she was glad that they were able to hear the results of what the effort they put in daily to keep the place they call home safe.

Chelsea averted her stare back to the girl with dark roots and grey strands. They went in for a needed hug and stayed in each other's arms for a bit. She hadn't seen her physically for so long, it was almost weird. Isabel Annesley was had been her best friend ever since she started dancing here; so for about eleven years or so. After she went off to college in another city, the two girls did their very best to stay in contact; whether it be text, FaceTime, call, or even letters if they felt like being funny. They still shared secrets, told their feelings to one another and gave hell to each other whenever they could. There were sisters in all ways but blood. There wasn't anything they didn't know about each other—

"So what are you doing traveling around with the ninja?" Her naturally dark brow rose in question as she pulled back.

Well except for that.

The fact that she was ninja was something she wanted to keep on the down-low for a bit. It wasn't because she was ashamed of it or anything, it was just that once she told everyone, word would definitely get around that there was a new ninja, the media would go crazy, and if her family found out she was almost one-hundred percent positive they'd try to talk her out of it. Well, who wouldn't? If Chelsea were to even utter a single syllable about her near death experiences, they'd go crazy. She would too if someone she cared about went off to go defend the world from God knows what. But when Sensei Wu asked her to join, she just got this overwhelming feeling stabbing her in the chest, almost begging her to go. It was as if her heart was telling her that if she didn't go, this cloud of regret would storm over her each time something bad happened. And it wasn't like she just up and left the college. The Grey Ninja worked her ass off to get into such a college, and thankfully they had told her they'd keep her scholarship for whenever she was ready to come back. And that was after the mysterious old man "coincidentally" met her on the way to go talk about resigning for a bit.

When she didn't reply for awhile, only staring off, Marcus nudged her on the arm and repeated the same question. "Yeah, amor, why are you buddy-buddy with the handsome ninja?"

Blinking out of her trance, Chelsea felt her voice get snagged in her throat. She stuttered over her mumbling words and kept her brown eyes away from intrusive hazel and grey irises. Why couldn't she tell them? If she were to tell them at this instant, it'd cause an uproar and she'd be stuck answering questions when they could be working towards their way to getting that black emerald. Also, she really didn't feel like facing Isabel's face when she finds out she been keep that big of secret from her and her family. But if she didn't say anything now and kept leaving the air stressfully silent, someone who wasn't already filled in would catch on.

And when pale eyes thinned, it was confirmed she'd lost this race awhile ago.

"Wait," the lowness of her voice almost sent Chelsea wished she could become one with her element, "Chelsea, are you—"

The kind of relief the Master of Shadows found was something that couldn't be melted away with the highest of heats. It couldn't be compared to finding your phone in your back pocket after thinking you left it on the plane, or discovering that the two hundred point project was due next Thursday, not this Thursday. The heaving abatement she received from the head of IDA was like bathing in the millions of dollars your parents hadn't lost in that one house fire.

"What might be going on—Chelsea?" his dark eyes lit up with old happiness, "What a pleasant surprise. You got here sooner than I expected and you brought your frien—Cole?"

Said man's face scrunched up in blatant confusion. "Dad?"

Chelsea and the dancers' faces dropped. "Dad?" they spoke in disbelief.

It was uncannily silent and Chelsea really didn't think the short man she'd known as her dance instructor all her life even felt it because his lips cracked into an amiable smile. Whiles the familiar faces gazed at each other, the rest looked back and forth between them.

Jay leaned into Zane's ear and whispered quite loudly, "Plot twist." The White Ninja couldn't help but nod in full agreement.

Kai shook his head, laughing curtly to himself. "I gotta say, I totally saw that one coming."

"Yeah, and why didn't I?" Chelsea said incredulously.

* * *

_**Omniscient P.O.V**_

The black clad ninja didn't know what else to do but blink. Lou immediately embraced him, the two patting each other's backs from habit.

"Son! Glad to see you came to visit your old man. But why didn't you tell me?" he chirped, the obvious cheerfulness in his voice.

Cole's eyes widened a fraction before he continued to rapidly blink in disbelief and confusion. He scratched his head but smiled nonetheless. "I-I didn't know that—I mean I thought…I uh—Why didn't you tell me you run a dance studio?"

Lou raised a thick brow. "I thought I told you about how Grady gave the studio to me when you four were here for that one other competition."

"Grady Cage? The one from your quartet? I didn't even know he owned a dance studio."

The older Brookestone hummed and just shrugged. "It must've slipped my mind." Cole looked at his father incredulously as he walked over to Wu to give his greetings. "My old age is catching up to me," he chuckled.

The two elders engaged in a short conversation and the rest were left to ponder in bewilderment. The Lightning Ninja puckered his lips and nodded his head, no longer really affected by this. Jay poked the muscular man with dark hair, eyes dulled unimpressively.

"Hey, are you broken or something?" he said. "So your dad's gonna help us again. So what? At least we know we have a decent shot at winning."

After a couple pokes Cole scowled at the smaller ninja and hit his hand away. Thick brows, identical to his father's, scrunched together deeply and his verdant eyes landed on the dark-skinned woman who looked to be muttering incoherently to herself. Kai stood beside her, his smirk tantalizing.

"How couldn't I have known? I should've seen it coming a mile away," she started lowly. "Come on Chelsea, they look alike; same hair, same eyebrows, same face structure, they both look angry all the time—like, it was right in front of me."

Cole gave her an aloof frown. "I'm right here."

Shaking his head dramatically, Kai clicked his tongue. "They even have the same last name. Tsk. Oblivious much?"

"I don't know why that didn't give it away for me?" She held her hands in front of her. "I'm just so used to calling him Mr. B that I guess it flew right over my head. Oh geez, this is embarrassing."

"Never mind that," Lloyd intervened. Sobriety was plastered upon his face as he and the ninja and samurai walked closer together. "What matters is that now we have to work as hard as we can to win that emerald."

Nya nodded firmly. "He's right. Besides, it's not like any of us are out of shape. I'm sure we can keep up with whatever Mr. Brookestone has to throw at us."

From behind, a strong tap the elder Brookestone's cane silenced conversation and received attention from the rest. Lou cleared his throat and his brown eyes grazed over the small crowd. "Alright, ninja, I see that the prize emerald at Starstruck is needed for the hope of humanity and seeing as I quite like it when the world isn't enslaved by evil deities, I have agreed to help you."

Isabel leaned towards the kunoichi and narrowed her eyes. "So you are a ninja," she confirmed.

Chelsea shushed her but smiled nonetheless.

"When we get to my house, you're spilling your guts."

"Of course, my students will also enter and it will increase our chances of winning first overall, although," his brown eyes thinned, "I expect for us to bring home that trophy. So in order for that to happen, it will mean long practice hours, strict dedication, a fantastic memory, and flexibility in both body and mind. Is that understood?"

All the rest could do was nod broadly in front of the dark-skinned elder. His once unabated voice smoothened into a lighter smile. Lou responded politely with a confirmed nod and turned on his heel. "Alright then. We start today."

The ninja's eyes bugged out in surprise. "W-wha—now? As in, like…now!?" Jay exclaimed.

Lou pulled the door towards him, swinging it open in a almost calculated movement. The smirk in his voice was almost an insult to the amusement he found in the ninja's expressions. "Yes. There's no time to waste. Now follow me. You all can't simply move comfortably in those clothes."

Obediently, all who were not dressed appropriately followed the head master of the studio. While Chelsea's lips held an amiable grin—one too big for her face—most of the other expression were seldom of such smile.

Cole sighed. "Here we go."

* * *

_**Finally, another chapter.**_

_**Eh, it was fine but it was just another filler with necessary elements for the plot. On the bright side, it's going to be really fun writing about the cannon ninja dancing. Maybe I'll have a bit of fun turning them into a boy dance group for a bit hehe.**_

_**Also, the OCs are just temporary (except for obvious ones...) but it's so much fun creating a diverse cast. It just makes me happy!**_

_**Anyways, head cannon here: I imagine Cole being Hispanic and Nigerian. Although, to me, Lou also seems have some type of Latino ethnicity mixed in there but I definitely feel he's some type of African country in him while his mother I head cannon to be a mix of Spaniard and maybe Italian(?) blood. Really confusing but I'll figure it out soon enough. What are your thoughts, if you care to share?**_

_**That's it!**_

_**Please R&amp;R.**_

_**You guys rock!**_

_**Sylvia-Ann~**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

**Also there may be possible spoilers for the horror movie MAMA. Nothing major but it could spoil it...kind of. So I'm very sorry for any inconveniences. **

* * *

"_Nothing burns more calories than dancing in 5-inch heels... try it!"_

—_Ariana Grande_

* * *

Chapter 13

_**Lloyd**_

This couldn't be legal.

This _shouldn't _be legal.

This was supposed to be fun. This was supposed to be adaptable. Lloyd was supposed to feel his legs.

If this was what he had to endure in order to obtain the black emerald he would rather face the wrath of Eltanse after he kicked her in the shin.

As Lou had promised, right after they changed into more appropriate attire, practice started right away. This dance wear was made up of sweat pants, shorts, shoes and a t-shirt. Zane decided to keep his hoodie on which was surprisingly acceptable from Lloyd's point of view. He hadn't had the certain knowledge to surely know what attire could be proper for modern dance, but he assumed it wouldn't be so…casual. It was roomy and laid back. In all, they just looked like a couple of guys that just got out of school.

Lloyd remembered passing by and seeing Chelsea whisk Nya off to fit her for tights if he heard correctly. His natural born curiosity urged him to ask about what that would enfold, but the indubitable sound of Lou's voice led him to a room adjacent to the one they first went into. Bubbles popped against the walls of his stomach in disquietude. Whiles Kai bragged about his oh-so-beauteous skills at break dancing—which admittedly wasn't too far off truth—the young ninja couldn't help but worry about his own skill in dancing. Jay spoke about how he was a master at tap, Cole grumbled irritably about resurfaced memories, and Zane kept quiet but everyone knew he would be able to execute anything perfectly. He'd like to say he wasn't terrible but he's never actually even tried dancing.

Who has time when you're busy saving the world?

In entering the room, the first thing that came to his mind was that it was big. Everything about this place was big, from the awards that flooded the shelves, to the wide floors of the dance hall. There were long wooden bars nailed firmly to the sides and to the front was a mirror that took up the entire.

As soon as Cole's father entered the room, the ninja behind him, the four other guys dwelling there all smiled expectantly and welcomed them. Lloyd noticed they were all dressed similarly and it relieved his anxiousness just a bit. Although, if he didn't know any better, it was safe to say he might've been the youngest one here so he was heavily relying on a comment Jay once said to him, stating how he looked and acted older than he was (after the tea). Sticking out like a sore thumb was something he'd rather not abide through for the umpteenth time in his short life.

Marcus came up to them, assuring Lou he'd get the new students prepared and ready. The dark-skinned elder nodded sanguinely and wished the ninja luck. It was all fine and dandy in the beginning. Everyone got along just fine and if he hadn't known any better there was one guy—Zechariah—flirting with Zane but the naive nindroid was too oblivious to see and just took it as inviting friendship. Lloyd smiled at the cute sight and made up in his mind that this wouldn't be too bad.

Well, that brings us to the now.

_Now, _he realized that he was basically dying and Marcus didn't think anything of it.

The dark haired man only smiled at them, his pearly white teeth shining brilliantly against the lights of the room. They had just completed their warm up which should be more appropriately named a fifteen minute routine of crux workout plans for body builders.

If there was one thing Lloyd hated more than bed times, it was burpees.

Marcus and a blonde sharp-faced teen with brown eyes named Oscar got up from the floor just fine while all the others struggled to even move their toes.

"Alright everybody, now it's time to start learning the dance. Zechariah, Oscar, Peter, and I already have most of it learned. We have two hours to get you guys," he pointed to the ninja, "okay with the first 20-30 seconds and then we will work on staying together and executing it perfectly." Marcus turned towards the mirror, as did everyone else. "Everyone spread out. Okay, just follow my movements and we will help you. And please, don't feel embarrassed. If you feel awkward, chances are, you're doing it right. No one is judging plus I'm sure all of you will be exceptional." He gave a flirtatious wink and smiled charmingly.

"Let us begin."

…

The class wasn't so bad actually. Well, given the fact that even when everyone could grasp the moves—for the most part—Marcus made them go over it over and over again. It was tedious but he kept reminding them that repetition and perfect execution was one of the vitals keys to scoring highly. In addition to that was giving your own style and actually dancing because it was fun, but he said that'd be something they'd work on when the competition date was closer.

Lloyd was fairly surprised that he hadn't made a fool of himself. If he was allowed to say it, he was pretty good.

Currently, he Cole and Zane resided outside of the room where a ballet class took place. Kai and Jay stayed inside with a couple of the others to review some of the dance before the next class. Even though they were also supposed to be reviewing the dance as much as they could, going over the same steps for over two hours was a bit drudging. Besides, they had a video they could reassess to tonight.

With a wondrous gaze, Lloyd decided to cure his never ending boredom by watching the ballet class. All of the girls were dressed in white tights, a black leotard, pink ballet shoes, and a sports bra. It appeared they were doing cool down stretches. They all held onto the wooden bars structured to the walls and assembled in a strict position, their bodies moving fluently in synchronicity. Lloyd would've been a dirty liar if he didn't admit his eyes were lingering longer then allowed on some of the elegant dancers.

Whiles staring, gallant sapphires widened on the sight of Nya and Chelsea. Chelsea was behind Nya, helping her with arm and leg placements although the dark-haired girl was doing quite fine. Lou said something and all the ladies circled their straightened leg to the back, their feet pointed throughout. They then shifted their weights to their now back leg, keeping it turned out whiles the front was pointed and turned out as well; arms circled in front of them.

It was just so foreign seeing two people he saw beat the crap out of ravaging monsters, glide through the air dexterously. "Woah…" he whispered. "Guys, come look at Chelsea and Nya."

Cole and Zane hummed in wonder before looking through the glass, their eyes widening a bit also. They watched silently as the large group of girls did an ending bow that ended in them stretching their arms out, feet turned out in fifth position, and slowly bowing before the mirror. Once they were finished, Lou cut of the classical music and nodded, giving them an encouraging smile before dismissing the dancers.

The three of them quickly made way for the girls and waited until they all emptied. Nya passed by and stopped when she saw the boys.

"Hey guys," she puffed, face red from slight exhaustion.

"I didn't know you were good at ballet," Lloyd soke.

"Yeah you were really good. That was a very elegant fifth position if I do say so myself," Cole added, speaking the latter sentence in a snobby British accent.

Zane nodded. "You did very well."

She laughed. "Just how much did you see? I was terrible. I'm just lucky I'm naturally flexible otherwise I would've been in so much trouble."

From inside, Lou's voice attracted the four. "Why don't you four come in and wait here whiles we wait for the others."

The tiny group did as they were told and directed to sit on the floor, against the giant mirror; the door closed behind them. They all looked up at Chelsea who stood in the middle of the room, weight shifted onto one leg and hand on hip. Her face was a bit shiny from sweat and there were many fly-away-s from her bun, but she glowing happily. Lloyd enjoyed how happy she was. Dance must've been something she adored.

"Hey guys. Where's Kai and Jay?" she asked.

"They are in the other room reviewing steps of the dance they are struggling on," Zane answered.

"Oh okay."

Lou nodded, smiling happily at the news. He turned to the tall woman. "Alright, before the other two arrive, we'll keep practicing on your turns. During ballet I noticed you've gotten a bit sloppy with the placement of your arms. We'll work on your fouettes and add in an extension."

"Can I do fourth position parallel?"

"Yes, just pretend this is jazz class instead. We'll work on keeping your hips under later."

With a quick nod, Chelsea let out a breath. She tucked some of her hair behind her ears before looking up at the mirror. She slapped her hands to her side, legs together, before stepping forward and launching into apace turns.

The only way Lloyd could describe her would be to say she was like a never ending carousel. Chelsea executed her fouettes with precision, keeping her arms steady with the pace. She's open them and then close them as her right leg would open straight out before turning back in for her toes to touch her thigh, her other leg as straight as a pencil until she bent her knee—then repeating it over and over again. Her brown eyes stayed on their reflection for as long as they could before her head would whip quickly around to do the same again.

"À la seconde."

Almost immediately, her right leg stuck out straight but she continued to spin with the same speed.

"Don't sickle that foot," Lou reprimanded and Chelsea applied the correction. "Fouette."

She returned to the turns effortlessly.

"Now chaîné, turn in en dedan and three attitudes in derrière before releasing."

Lloyd was really confused with his words. Sounded like he was speaking a bunch of French and wondered how anyone could understand him. Through his and the other's confusion, Chelsea seemed to have understood faultlessly. She turned into the chaînés; both feet on the ground, the woman turning on her toes, arms perfectly rounded. She then stopped in a spot and lifted her left leg to her ankle while she spun on her toes—en dedan. After five turns she stepped out on the balls of her right foot and lifted her left leg up, knee bent to form a 90˚ angle. Her right arm was extended above her head and the other was in front of her, both rounded.

Lou's face scrunched in dissatisfaction. "Come on Chelsea, fingers. And you are not a dog using the bathroom. Pull that leg up."

It looked like it was hard to pull the leg up more, but she did. Chelsea fixed her fingers so they were softly in the air instead of stiff. Her face was contorted in a hard visage, concentration fit in her dark brows. After she stayed in the beautiful position for the three turns, her left leg swooped out in front of her and Lloyd wasn't the only one that gasped at the next move was.

Chelsea lifted her left leg up in the air, straightened, foot pointed and turned out. Her entire torso dropped down backwards and her arms floated behind her. It was like she was doing a full split but with one leg in the air and one leg sturdily on the ground. In that split second, all her leg muscles were defined, depicting how much of her body's muscle she was using.

She swooped back up and turned one last time to her starting position. Immediately, Chelsea panted, her hands on her hips. Her hair was in every-which-way, and she looked exhausted. To the ninja and samurai, what she had just done was amazing but she looked to her teacher without so much as a smile.

"I didn't point my foot throughout every turn," she stated.

"Your arms were actually very strong…it was just that. We'll work on it more. But your fouettes were very good. Almost two years of no proper dance and you've still got it in my opinion. You just need a little work."

The Master of Shadows nodded thankfully and a relieving smile came upon her lips. "Thank you and I promise they'll be top notch by competition."

"I'm sure they will be. I'll be back. Get a drink."

Each person watched as Mr. Brookestone left the room. Instantly, Chelsea lost all her posture and sighed heavily; her body comically dropping down on the ground. She lied sprawled out on her stomach, her face in the crease of her arm.

"As much as I love your dad Cole, he can be so scary sometimes," she mumbled tiredly.

"That was amazing Chelsea! I didn't know you were this good! And that thing you did at the end was so amazing. You're so flexible!" Nya exclaimed, going up to her.

Chelsea flustered. She lifted her head and bashfully said, "Awe really? No I was terrible. I'm so out of practice it's ridiculous. I'm lucky I even remembered the technicality."

Zane shook his head, a soft smile on his expression. "What you did was quite exceptional, not to mention very beautiful."

Lloyd agreed whole heartedly. He looked to his side to see the black-clad ninja nod shyly in agreement. Cole wore a small smile and caught the eyes of the Grey Ninja. They both shared a look that would've been friendly if Lloyd hadn't caught the sight of forlorn in dark emeralds.

"Yeah, it was…really beautiful."

He tried not to frown at that and turned his attention back on Chelsea who fought to hide her smile. "You were really good and now we definitely have a chance at winning," Lloyd chirped.

She laughed and rose, supporting herself with her hands. "Thanks guys. It really means a lot." She took a large breath, smiling radiantly before looking around. "What time is it?"

Zane answered, "It is approximately 6:30."

A crude yawn left her mouth and she lifted her arms in a stretch, a few air bubbles in her spine popping. Chelsea whipped her feet around and proceeded to take her shoes off. There were pre-cut holes in the pinkish-white tights which she stuck her feet out of and rolled them up to her calves. "Today has been a ridiculously long day. And we have one more class before we're done…well kinda."

They all got up from the floor. "What do you mean?" Cole asked offering the dark-skinned woman help.

"For your next class, I will be choosing dances I think will fit each of you best. So I'll be your teacher for a bit. Fun, huh?" she chuckled.

"I hope you're nothing like Marcus," Lloyd mumbled under his breath. His voice caught in his throat when he realized what he said and frantically tried to take it back. "N-not that I don't like him it's just that he has crazy stamina and I almost _died_ in there." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit pansy admitting it. "I won't be able to feel my legs for the next three years."

The older ones laughed a bit and Lloyd's face reddened. "Yeah, I give that guy major props. The amount of push-ups he made us do really kicked me in the butt. Sheesh," Cole muttered.

Zane nodded in agreement and Chelsea and Nya looked at each other and laughed.

"Finally found someone to rival you with push-ups Cole?" Nya snickered.

Chelsea smiled knowingly. "Yeah, I love Marcus dearly but he's something else when it comes to exercise. He's a health fanatic but tell him to run three miles and he'd rather eat sushi for the rest of his life; and he hates sushi."

Lloyd furrowed his brows together. "How do you hate sushi?"

She shrugged. "I guess it's an acquired taste." Chelsea then grabbed Nya's hand and they began to walk out. "You three hang here. Nya and I are going to change. We'll be right back."

As they left, Kai and Jay came in and greeted the two before entering in on the room. The first thing that flew out of Kai's mouth wasn't a surprise to anyone at all.

"Did ya get a load of all those chicks in tights and leotards? Some of them are even half naked. Today just keeps getting better and better," he smirked mischievously.

Well, it wasn't like Lloyd hadn't thought the same thing. But even with his raging hormones, at least he had the decency to keep it to himself.

Cole groaned and Jay snickered behind his hand. "Could you keep your mouth shut for just one minute and adopt some manners while you're at it?"

Kai's expression grew tantalizing. "Hey, I wasn't hitting on your girlfr—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the muscular ninja gave a punch to his shoulder, a blush steadily creeping on his tanned-skin. "Shut up!" The two engaged in banter and it relevantly similar to that of when they first were getting used to each other's company.

It was something the ninja had learned how to tune out whenever things like this happen. The sounds of taunt bickering usually deceased in a couple minutes—five max. Assiduous sapphires couldn't help but stare at the Master of Earth barrenly. He watched the blush become darker with each passing second and every taunting word the Fire Ninja threw at him. If it weren't for his tan skin, his entire face might've been submersed in a cherry hue. He noticed Cole's entire being would stiffen; his sharp jaw prominent whiles he ferociously tried to defend himself. But from what? From his girlfriend? What girlfriend? And why was he so defensive about it? Cole was always one to be serious and made sure to correct anyone when it was necessary, and his leader-like temperament kept him from acting out (most of the time). But he was never so temperamental about anything this frivolous.

Lloyd felt like he knew what was going on, but at the same time told himself he really didn't because if he really thought about it, he was sure the hard frown he was struggling to hold back would become prominent. Someone would ask what was wrong and, contrary to popular belief, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon wasn't the best at lying—especially since he developed a conscience.

But…girlfriend?

_Don't get ahead of yourself Lloyd. _

He hadn't even realized he said it out loud. He faced Kai and Cole whose hands were entangled in the other's hair trying to accomplish who knows what? The youngest ninja blinked quizzically and they returned the gesture.

_Don't do it Lloyd—_

"Are you talking about—"

"Everyone spread out!"

Eyes averted to the loud demanding voice. Lou walked in and behind him came Nya and Chelsea in their new outfits. Nya wore capri-length black leggings and a red sports bra showing off her taut stomach and strong firm legs and arms; muscles formed over years of training and combat fighting. She seemed to be a bit shy of her appearance; not used to showing so much skin, she kept her verdant gaze down to the floor and on the taller woman who smiled stoutly. Chelsea wore black spandex shorts and a purple sports bra.

Lloyd glanced to his right and just as he expected, Cole's face was struggling with combating something.

Nya had sneakers on and quietly stood joined the group whiles Chelsea skipped her way up to the front of the room, near the mirror. She put her hands on her hips. "Come on guys, spread out."

They did as they were told and spaced themselves out in arms length.

"Nice. Okay," she started, "I'll be your teacher for this class. In this class I'll be grouping you up in dances I think are best fit for you whiles I teach you certain tricks. Also, Mr. B wanted to watch just so he can get an idea of your skill levels and help me pair you guys off."

Everyone nodded.

"All of you are warmed up, correct?" Lou asked.

A collection of yeses filled the room and the elder one nodded. He went to the stereo and picked up the phone it was rather funny seeing his face cringe as mainstream pop music began blasting out of the speakers. Lloyd bobbed his head to the music, mouthing the words to the bass-beating song.

"Ooh~ I like this song," Chelsea said to herself. "I know all of you can hold a handstand for a pretty long time, so this should come easy. You just—" she went into a handstand, "cross your leg over your other one and bend at the hips." Although her voice was kind of strained, it still came through. She demonstrated and stayed in the position for three seconds.

It looked easy enough and everyone did it to the best of their abilities on the first try. She told them it was good and commanded they all keeping repeating the form while she goes around fixing anything that needed fixing.

She went for Lloyd first and he felt her grip his ankle. "Bend a little more." With her help, he bent a bit more, feeling the tension in his arms increase. Chelsea let go of him. "Hold it," she commanded and he did as he was told until she said, "Okay, now drop."

When he came up, he could see his face was really red from being upside down. Chelsea nodded. "Now do it again and apply the corrections." Lloyd went up and made sure to bend a bit more than last time. He stood back up and looked with hopeful eyes. He was delighted to see her raise her hand. He met her with a high-five and they shared a laugh.

"You got it!" she cheered.

Lloyd's smile hurt his cheeks.

_**Jay **_

After learning an abundant amount of tricks, and realizing their bodies would hate them tomorrow, the heroic group was nearing the end of the day.

Being the observant person he was Jay was elated to see how the group had become a lot looser throughout the day. It was funny to see Chelsea mouth the words of a Beyoncé song and bust out in a mini. He learned Lloyd was bomb at learning tricks, although he always knew he was a quick learner; Kai was actually really good a break-dancing and hip-hop in general even if he was a show-off; Cole could rival MJ with his moonwalk; Zane was showered in praises by Lou because of how flawlessly he preformed each move; and Nya was, as usual, fantastic at everything she did.

Out of the corner of his eye, he'd always take any chance he could to glance at the beautiful samurai. When they learned a ten second hip-hop dance just so Lou and Chelsea could see how well they execute it, he couldn't believe how well she danced. Her body was fluid in each passing motion and could stiffen at certain parts. During the first round, she'd always have this stern face of concentration and then as they repeated it, her face would relax and contort into an easy-going expression; like she was having a lot of fun.

Albeit her cheeks and forehead were red—everyone's faces were—and her hair was beginning to become wavy from the sweat, she was still so captivating all down to her laugh. And when she walked in with such a simple outfit, Jay personally cursed his own skin for being so pale because his blush was as bright as a stop light. He hoped his freckles dulled the hue. As time went along, and he was still trying to sneak glances at the short woman, a thought jaded his joviality.

He still hasn't apologized for his outbreak.

The blue ninja's visage darkened for a second and could only dwell on it for a second before Chelsea's voice interrupted his dark speculations.

"I think I'm ready to group you guys." As the group stood in front of her, she put on a thoughtful look. Her gaze landed straight on Jay and Nya. "Jay and Nya will have a tap duet. And Nya you're gonna be in hip-hop and jazz team with me. Jay you'll be in that other hip-hop dance you did before too."

Jay brightened considerably. It was like she was reading his mind. With time spent together, he'd have a chance to apologize to her, finally. The lean ninja shot the dark-skinned woman a thoughtful look and it almost seemed like Chelsea caught on. Everything was nice and dandy until Jay felt his heart sting when Nya spoke up.

"What? I mean, are you sure? I don't know anything about tap and I'll look stupid next to Jay," she spoke worriedly.

He wondered if she truly felt that way or if she just really didn't want to be by him. Well, he couldn't blame her if she wasn't very submissive to the latter.

The Grey Ninja hummed in confirmation. "I'm positive you'll do fine. You and Jay didn't skip a single step, foot wise, during the dance and your feet were synchronized even though you were going a bit fast. Trust me Nya, you got this. And I'm sure Jay would be willing to help you with anything you don't get including myself and your teacher."

The pale-skinned woman still had a worried look on her face but she agreed. "If you're sure I won't mess it up, then alright." Nya turned to Jay and immediately his heart raced against his chest and he almost gasped as she smiled at him with determination. "Let's do our best then."

Jay didn't falter in his next words. "We'll be best tapping duo out there, just you wait."

Nya's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before a gentle smile graced her lips. She chuckled.

"Hmmm…Kai, Cole, and Zane, you three will be in a hip-hop trio while still being in the other dance. Marcus and I will teach you the dance." The three of them high-fived each other.

Chelsea then pointed at Lloyd with a bright smile. "And you, Lloyd, will be with me and a couple others in another hip-hop dance in addition to the other one. Mr. B thinks you'll be a perfect fit and so do I."

The blonde teen nodded happily.

When all was said and done, Lou thankfully adjourned dance for today. "You all have done a very good job today and I want to thank you sincerely for putting all of you into learning the dances. In a little more than two weeks, I'm positive all of you will be in tip-top shape to perform." A chorus of gratitude lifted the air and the elder one grinned. "Also, Wu will be biding with me for these next couple of weeks. I believe Chelsea has also prepared your sleeping arrangements already. Have a goodnight. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Goodnight," they all said and with that, Lou left.

Kai turned to Chelsea. "Why'd you get us a place to stay? We could've just flown back to the monastery—piece of cake."

"Speak for yourself," Jay snapped. He rubbed his arm and moaned dramatically, "It's like a thirty minute flight. I'm so sore and exhausted, I don't even know if I could concentrate for that long after a day like this for two weeks straight."

"Well I hope you can concentrate for one more day because we gotta go back to the monastery to pack our stuff and come back before we head over to Isabel's house. And don't worry about the space. This girl is literally richer than the president," she muttered to herself.

"Really? She'd take in all of us in? Isn't that a lot of people?" Lloyd inquired.

They followed the Grey Ninja out of the room and prepared to leave to head back to the monastery. "When you guys see her house, you'll understand when I say it is totally okay with her. Besides, she'll enjoy the company. Her parents are, of course, working all the time and are never home. And they're very nice people so they wouldn't mind either way. Now let's hurry."

* * *

_**Omniscient P.O.V**_

Everyone's stuff was packed in the car and the Highlander had exactly enough seats for everyone.

Isabel was the driver while Chelsea sat in the passenger seat, her legs outstretched on the front board. Nya, Jay, and Cole sat in the in the middle while Lloyd, Kai, and Zane sat in the back.

The drive was very fun and Hiyama City was even more beautiful at night. The car was blasting music and all who knew how to sing it sang along while those who didn't caught on to the chorus and bobbed their heads to it also.

"_I can't feel my face when I'm with you, but I love it~ but I love it~" _

Isabel turned it down for a second and heard a loud groan from the back. "I'll put it back on soon," she laughed, "But is pizza okay for dinner? When we get to the house you guys can tell me what else you want like mozzarella sticks, wings, and stuff like that."

"Pizza is A-okay with me," Cole chirped.

The others agreed also.

Chelsea made a noise and turned to her. "Nya's a vegetarian," she said.

"Oh! Don't worry girl, my mom is too. I got you," she cheerfully said.

Nya sighed in relief. "Thank you. I'm sorry if it's any trouble."

Isabel waved one hand. "No, it's no trouble at all! Now this bitch," she pointed her thumb at the taller one next to her, losing all her politeness and giving her a playful glare, "she doesn't even like pizza and for _no_ reason whatsoever."

"You don't like pizza!?" Cole, Jay, Kai lurched forwards.

Chelsea smiled falteringly. "I uh…"

Kai fell back and crossed his arms. "Pft, what a loser."

The kunoichi turned up the music to deafening volumes. "Wow, I suddenly can't hear you over this music. I love The Weeknd and I sure don't care about your opinions," she exclaimed with fake courtesy.

The rest of the drive was filled with playful banter and heavy music.

…

When Chelsea said the house was big, she wasn't kidding.

Before even entering into the premises, they had to go through a gate with the initials of Isabel's mother's name—later found it was one of her many gifts. The house sat on three acres of land and it took just a couple of minutes to drive to the actual house.

Beyond the clean cut yard and almost too perfect grass was a path of beige gravel stone spread in front of the house. The place itself was an establishment a child who yearned to be famous dreamed of living in. It stood over them, almost intimidating—long and tall. Clean cream colored paint glowed brightly in contrast of the night sky. The mahogany red brick tiles of roof were patterned until they peaked to the sky, slanting at a slight angle. Tall cream columns with burgundy rims stood proudly before them. Tinted glass windows gave a slight preview of what was yet to behold the guests. In front of the mansion were many clean cut bushes and bountiful flowers; a fountain with layers of clean white marble towards the front, water dazzling down.

The car stopped in front of the slate steps and front porch. In the midst of their astonished gazing, Chelsea got out of the car to open the trunk and Isabel turned to look at her guests. "Alrighty, here we are. Chelsea will help you in and show you around. Once I come back from parking the car, we'll talk about who's sleeping where."

They nodded and got out of the car to help with the luggage. Once everyone had their bags they stepped up the steps and she dug in her hoodie pocket for the keys. The large mahogany doors swung open and the crowd was greeted by sleek whitish-cream marble flooring that shined so brightly it was obvious it was cleaned before their arrival. Upon walking in, they were met with the wide spacing of the first floor. There were white columns in front and the indoor pool was straight ahead, behind white frames of glass. The curved light brown hued stairs were immediately to their left. When going further in, the kitchen, which was towards the left end. It contained a long marble island in the middle of an elongated curved hall of the two sinks, the lustrous counters, the stove, the microwave, and lithe refrigerator. To the right was the entertainment center with a large flat screen up on the cream colored wall and three white soft comfy couches. There were multiple set ups below the television. There were other rooms in the back, but they decided to discover them later.

"This place is ridiculously _huge_," Jay gawked.

"I told you," said Chelsea. "Now come on let's go upstairs and get a head start on the rooms."

After _many_ steps, they got to the top floor. Before they could decide, Isabel arrived.

"Thank you very much for allowing us to reside in your home. It was generous of you," Zane said with a polite bow.

The grey-haired woman smiled cheekily. "It was no problem. Now, there are eight rooms including the master bedroom. Chelsea will be sleeping in my room so there will be one room for each of you. All the bedrooms are basically the same—space wise. There are five bathrooms up here and the three that interlace the rooms are really also individual full set bathrooms but in one—" she waved her hands, "basically every room has it's bathroom. You'll see. And I promise you won't be able to hear anything. There are doors." Isabel sucked in air through her teeth and looked to Chelsea. "Am I forgetting anything? Oh! Feel free to roam around and use anything you'd like. Mi casa, su casa. I trust you guys won't break anything and even if you do, whatever, things happen. Um…after you're done settling in and take a shower—if you want to—you can come down and we'll put on a movie or whatever you guys want. Or you could stay up here until the food comes. You can take it upstairs but make sure you don't spill anything. I have a game room where there's like foosball, pool, Xbox, Wii, and Playstation. And you can automatically order games if I don't have the ones you want since I don't play with those too much." She clapped her hands together. "Rules: As long as nothing is on fire we're good."

Stares fell upon Kai and he rolled his eyes.

Chelsea smiled tiredly and raised her hands, "Go crazy guys."

…

Everyone huddled up in the living room smelling like green apples and white citrus. A large amount of blankets covered the group as they laid in the soft couch, some shivering from the scary movie _Mama_.

Isabel, Chelsea, Cole, and Zane were on one couch; Jay and Nya were on another; and Lloyd and Kai shared the other. The center table was littered with empty plates, leftover food boxes, cups, and popcorn bowls. The room was entirely dark and the only light came from the large TV.

Jay and Nya's eyes were intently on the screen, their hands almost mechanically moving to put the popcorn in their mouths. When a jump-scare would pop out, they'd jump, sometimes scream, huddle closer to the other, and still continue to watch the movie. Years of watching horror movies together put them in this routine. "That woman is so loyal to her boyfriend. She didn't have to raise those kids from the forest, but she did. Props to her. The guy didn't even make it a second without being sent to the hospital," Nya muttered. "True," Jay agreed.

Zane was watching the movie without a problem but would also jump a bit if the face of the spirit would pop up—it was rather ugly. Sometimes he'd wince as Cole would latch onto his arm if something gory came up, or the sound of bones cracking hit his ears. The Master of Earth wasn't stirred by the scary parts of the horror movie; it was more of the gore that got to him. He wasn't much for blood and guts. Meanwhile, Chelsea was completely horrified out of her wits and kept covering her ears and eyes when she felt like something scary would happen. She screamed if she couldn't close her eyes before the frightening part, and jumped harshly. "Like, I never wanted to watch this. I just wanted to go to sleep and now I won't be able to go to the bathroom by myself," she whined. Isabel was having trouble looking away from the TV even though she was quivering.

Kai and Lloyd were hugging each other like a safety net. Although both parties tried to act as if they weren't frightened, they'd instantly latch onto each other if something scary popper up. "A-at least the ghost is just trying to protect the ch-children," the brunette stuttered. Lloyd could barely nod before he buried his face into the older one.

After a torturous hour and forty minutes, the movie was over and it left the group with mixed emotions. The ending was cute and Nya, Jay, Isabel, Cole, and Zane gushed about it but the other three kept shaking their heads.

"Awe, that was actually really cute," the young samurai commented.

"Cheesy, but cute," Jay shrugged.

"The ghost's never ending perseverance to protect the children, even though she tried to kill them at the same time, was aesthetically pleasing. It was a heart-warming film over all the jump-scares and horrific images," Zane analyzed.

"Yeah, I guess," Lloyd muttered.

"What do you think?" Cole asked to the woman that clutched onto his and Isabel's hands.

"I don't care if the ghost—demon, or whatever meant well. She was scary and the way she and the children crawled was scary and her face was disfigured and most of all scary."

Grey eyes gave her a look. "She hit a branch on her way down," Isabel pointed.

Chelsea shrugged indifferently. "She was still ugly before too…and scary."

"I'm just trying to figure out how I'm supposed to go to sleep after this," Kai yawned.

The blonde ninja shook sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes. "I know I won't be able to sleep alone after this."

"Same," the kunoichi whimpered.

"Oh you guys will be fine," Nya reprimanded. She yawned into her hand and got up from the couch, followed by Jay, Zane, and everyone after. "I'm going to bed now. Goodnight everyone."

After cleaning up, everyone left for bed to prepare for what tomorrow had in store for them.

* * *

_**I love The Weeknd's music.**_

_**It was fun writing about the group being teenagers/young adults for once instead of worrying about who's going to die next lmao**_

_**Very relaxing if you ask me XD**_

_**And how about hot ninja dancing in hot attire to hot music? LIKE YESSS SiGn me ThE FuCK uP!**_

_**Hey, look! I actually released a long chapter and in shorter time than before. Yay! **_

_**Not much to say other then thank you all for your continuous support, love, and loyalty. I will continue to give the best I can and hopefully finish this story with satisfaction. **_

_**R&amp;R**_

_**Sylvia-Ann~**_

_**God Bless!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: All Ninjago characters belong to Lego. All OCs and the story line belong to me.**

* * *

_"Death by chocolate doesn't exist."  
__—Sia _

* * *

Chapter 14

**_Kai _**

A week had passed and Lou worked them to the bone—to the hard calloused bone.

Every day of the week was completely copious of fast paced steps, elegant turns, and arduous breathing. The ninja and samurai had never experienced such thorough and stringent preparation. Wu's punishments of endless riddles and training paled in comparison to this.

If Kai was absolutely sure he hadn't been hallucinating, he could've sworn he saw the wise elder pop in, watching from the sidelines, with an almost devilish smirk.

Here's the thing, it was all fun and games for the first three days. Yeah, his feet and legs complained the most then and his head was struggling to separate which dance step belonged to which dance, but it was fun. Even if this wouldn't be his choice on how to live out the "normal care-free teenage life" it was still so refreshing. Even if he did have to put in a formidable amount of effort into memorizing the dances and executing them just how his instructors would see fit, he was still having so much fun. The rides back to the house were filled with sweaty, stinky feet, light laughter, inappropriate but quite enjoyable heavy music, unhealthy junk food, and a mind filled with anything but worry of what would happen the next day.

Now, after the first week, his feet were hurting so much and it seemed like the pressure was beginning to add on. It was like someone turned off the nice switch in both Mr. Brookestone _and _Chelsea. Cole's dad's seriousness wasn't sudden to say. Last time he became their dance teacher he had been a lot harder on them seeing as the competition they were attending was in less than five days; it was understandable and adjustable. It was for the fate of the world…and this was too, but they had two weeks. In just _one _the heroic group was able to learn all their dances, granted they sometimes forgot or messed up steps but that's pretty good. They had almost twelve hour days with about four hours of breaks in total. They were doing pretty well. In the week and about a half they had left they could definitely perfect whatever they needed to. Kai was confident in their team. He just didn't understand why the Grey Kunoichi had to be so hard on them.

Chelsea was assigned the job to teach Kai, Cole, and Zane their dance for their trio. Why she decided to accept the challenge was beyond him. She had five million other dances to learn and now she had to teach them a two minute dance. Obviously she was stressing but if Kai was going to be one hundred percent honest, she put it on herself.

"No. Stop."

The music stopped and Kai nearly blew his top off. Cole sighed loudly, closing his eyes in near defeat. Zane came to a stop and turned to the fraught women, his light blue-grey eyes threatening to unlock their fatigue.

"What is it now?" the fiery brunette grumbled irritably.

"You guys aren't even trying anymore," she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

Immediately Kai's temper sparked and he growled, "What do you mean we aren't trying!? All we've been doing is trying. We have the stupid dance down but for some reason you think we don't."

Chelsea rubbed her temples seemingly trying to keep her irritability on watch. She looked at him with pure annoyance. "Kai, you're not fully doing the moves; Cole doesn't even look like he wants to be here; and Zane looks like he's performing a solo not a dancing with a team."

"Okay but can you blame us? We've been working on this for an hour straight and if we were given the choice I'm sure all of us would drop dead."

"I understand you guys are tired but you're not the only ones that feel dead. And I'm sorry but we were given the responsibility to save this world and we are _going _to win that emerald, even if it kills us."

They stood head to head, neither choosing to relent anytime soon. "I'm starting to think it has something more to do then just winning the emerald. Whatever it is, would you just let up. We're ninjas not ballerinas."

Dark brows rose in a taunting manner. "Well I guess it's time to pull up those tights then."

Kai's golden irises pulsed and he moved closer shouting, "Look, if you could maybe stop being such a—"

Zane and Cole instantly rushed in to put the argument to a halt.

"I feel as if we all just need to take a short break and recollect ourselves. We cannot turn against each other now," Zane said placing a hand on the more then averagely warm shoulder, "Not when Eltanse is still on the loose."

The Black Ninja nodded in agreement and gently pulled the newest ninja away. "We're all getting on each other's nerves from constantly being around one another 24/7, but we've gotta focus. At the same time we have to remember that it takes time and patience to bring the best out of anything," he said giving the young woman a pointed look.

Kai harshly shrugged off the hand. "I'm gonna go get a drink."

Just before he was about to stomp his way out, Chelsea caught his wrist. The red-clad man scowled but he watched as her hard visage softened. Chelsea sighed heavily and gave him an apologetic expression. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for being a jerk. And this goes for you two too. I'm sorry if I'm being so hard on you guys. I really want you guys to do great and I'm just…stressed." She gave an exaggerated apologetic look, her bottom lip puckering out. "Forgive me?"

As much as he'd like to stay mad and tell her no, (it'd be funny), Kai couldn't muster up the energy to. He formed a funny face on his expression to ease the tension a bit and rolled his eyes. "Fine," he pointed at her, "but only if you never make fun of my hair again."

"I'll try," she laughed.

Cole winked at her while Zane nodded. "We appreciate how much you care."

Chelsea clapped her hands together. "Alrighty! After you guys get a quick drink, we'll come back and reassess the steps and then do the entire dance again. I'll do some parts with you." She smiled. "By the time this competition is done and over with, fan girls will be raving about you three even more."

Kai had no problem with that.

* * *

**_Nya_**

To say she was feeling a bit awkward would be quite an understatement.

It wasn't that the actual tap routine with Jay was awkward. In fact, Nya really loved the dance and the song. "Rather Be" was one of her favorite songs and it was really easy to tap to it. With their dance instructor's help and Jay's undeniable eagerness to aid her, the young samurai had no trouble. It was just that this was a dance of promising love and that made things a bit gauche between her and the blue-clad ninja.

Mrs. Christina Michaels—or just Mrs. Christy—a fit and beautiful middle aged Egyptian woman was their teacher for this dance. She was very proper and elegant; her skin was a sandy caramel color, her body was lithe and long, and her ebony hair was always in a perfect bun. In addition, she was very nice and open but strict on performance.

In their first class, Mrs. Christy sat the both of them down and they had a talk about what the dance was supposed to convey: two people in a blossoming relationship in which there was no place they'd rather be but in each other's presence—thus the song. She clearly stated they'd have to act out the part and be in total sync. Immediately, awkwardness was set in.

The feeling of tension, regret, and blunt discomfort was still very strong between the two. Nya could read Jay very well and she was well aware of the fact that he was deeply regretful of his outburst. It appeared he and Cole did make up but there were still unresolved issues between herself and him. Granted, even with the bad air circulating, she and the ninja kind of pushed it aside and ignored it. It was a bad habit they developed. Neither found it fun to confront an issue with each other in fear of taking on a burden they couldn't bear and creating new problems. So even if they didn't talk to each other like they did before, they still tried to get along like nothing happened even when they both knew that wasn't the way.

As much as the dark-haired woman would have loved to stay angry with him and just let him take all the blame and feel bad for it (it'd be easier because then he would sometime apologize—hopefully—and then she'd forgive him and all would be set and done, easy) it wasn't right. Nya was going to be honest and truthful. She was just at fault for it as much as he was.

The whole love triangle thing completely threw them into a loop. Fight, ignore the problem, and move on as if nothing happened. It was a regular cycle and it was emotionally exhausting. She just wished she hadn't even let the doubt from that _stupid _machine get to her. Nya was sensible. She had common sense!

So why the hell she thought a man-made device would be 100% accurate in deciding on whom she should be with for the rest of her life, she had no clue. Yeah, Cole was very handsome and their similar, eloquent, personalities created an equal air making the match-maker seem authentic; but instead of showing her who she would be happy with, it really demonstrated one of her deepest insecurities. Nya lost control of what she was doing and let her fright of unhappiness and an inability to control her situation drive her straight into an abyss of emotional destruction.

The details weren't needed, and it was pretty self-explanatory of what happened in the end. But still, even if the young samurai and blue-clad ninja could share a smile, there was still a disquiet wall and Nya didn't want that.

Nya just wanted to have that a relationship with Jay like they did back before the dumb Overlord took over New Ninjago, before she stepped onto that dumb machine, and before she made the dumb mistake to break this loving man's heart over and over again.

One step at a time she guessed.

Mrs. Christy put a halt to the music and they immediately paused in their positions. Onyx eyes fell upon the two in calculation. Nya would've thought the quiver in her stomach was because of the marginally daunting gaze their teacher bestowed on the pair. But the young samurai knew differently. From where Jay's hand firmly grasped, his finger tips indenting into the supple skin of her waist, below her breasts, soft tingles of warmth and a tickling sensation had her heart racing. The fastened grip on her hip diminished—much to her dismay—for the next move involving the quick-witted man lunging her in the air wasn't to be executed.

In the short time they had before the older woman's voice came to play, Nya took in Jay's features. After so many times of just taking in his rounded face, his ample cheeks adorned with lightly dusted freckles of a tanned hue; the wide and energetic jewels of eco-rich sapphire that lied amply in his eyes; soft pink lips not a size to big or small; rich chestnut hair styled in a boyish hairstyle giving him a forever youthful look; a skinny but firmly built with body with lean muscle; and to top it off a small button nose that—for God knows how long—she'd silently obsessed over, she never grew tired of it. Everything about him was a breath of fresh air. He constantly carried the faint trail of freshly picked berries and it just drove her insane how he never really knew how he effortlessly had her adorning him from every angle possible.

A blanket of pink deceitfully crept up Nya's neck and on her cheeks and lied dominant no matter how hard she tried to fight it. Gallant emeralds were situated in shadows of adornment, completely dismissing outside influences. The young woman's lips curled up in a small smile as she watched the sharp bone of Jay's jaw pop out as he bit down on his lip in nervousness. His blue irises glittered in worry and apprehension as they came in contact with the dark pools from Christy. Nya could always tell when he was nervous just by the slight movement of his jaw.

"The benevolent energy Ms. Igneous is giving to you, Mr. Walker, is what I want from both of you at all times. Not just now," the lithe woman spoke.

Immediately Nya's face dropped and her eyes almost popped form her sockets. Before she could fight it, her face was drowned in crimson and she stuttered pathetically under the two pairs of eyes.

"W-what!? Benevolent? W-wait I wasn't—"

The whimsical sounds of a teasing edge were quite loud as it circulated in the depths of dark eyes and a tantalizing smirk. "Now," she said interrupting the flustered heroine, "like I said before, this is a song of blossoming love and in order to move the audience, I need for both parties to participate. Mr. Walker," she began.

Nya saw him perk up, his eyes blinking out of a trance. "Yes ma'am!"

Mrs. Christy placed her hands on her hips, her shoulders square and posture perfect. "Your fondness for the girl is prominent," Jay sputtered much like Nya did before and the other only ducked her head in embarrassment, "but I'm going to need more." The teacher walked over to the stereo. "I'm going to need a lot more."

Nya looked up at the slightly taller man to see him look at her with quivering lips, trying his hardest to fight back his discombobulated state. Their expression mirrored each other and the young samurai couldn't help but feel as if her chest would explode.

Jay looked away for a second before pushing a shaky laugh through his lips. "So uh, I guess we'll just have to…um…work on timing for that love thing, huh?"

Like, how was she supposed respond to that?

"Uh…yeah!"

Nya immediately cursed herself for sounding so peppy when there was no evident reason for the drastic pitch in her voice. She lowered her head some and averted her eyes. For a second or two, the young woman wondered if their relationship would ever go back to the way it was. The thought ran quickly in her head. Even after days of trying to come up with a solution, anything that didn't involve bursting her pride, Nya always came down to one thing.

She had to apologize. No matter how much it hurt her ego, Nya had to apologize for everything.

At that moment, when the resolution seemed to relieve her of loaded pressure, she saw Jay look at her. His dark sapphire eyes were timid but held such intensity to them. He hadn't looked at her like that in awhile and it was getting kind of hard to breathe.

Large pale hands took a hold of small, calloused, fists. "I don't want things to be awkward between us," he spoke. Nya didn't understand how the apprehensive voice from two seconds ago made such a capricious change. But it made her breathless. "For the sake of Ninjago…and more importantly, for _us_," _dear Lord have mercy…did he just say 'us' as in—"_we have to sit down and talk to each other." Jay looked side to side and quirked a smile. "Preferably sooner rather than later…would you be okay with that?"

Mrs. Christy started to rewind the song. "We are going to start from the beginning again," she stated.

Before they moved, or even processed their instructor's words, the two stared at each other. It seemed like hours upon hours of staring until Nya had finally moved. Her pink lips separated slowly, her visage seemingly confused. But just a moment later, her lucid cheeks lifted and a bright smile filled her face.

"I'd like that very much," she said.

It was like she had turned on the light switch she had been looking for, for the past several days. Her eyes quickly adjusted to what the light brought and Nya was happy she could finally see, what was to be, a sparkling blue future.

* * *

**_Cole _**

Their twelve hour day was almost over—_thank God._ Cole had never been so happy in his life. To add onto that, tomorrow, they had the day off. His father agreed to let them have a break, as a reward for their hard work. How great was that!?

Currently, the black clad ninja was helping his dad around. While they both busied around with filing papers, they dove into a light conversation. It was just father and son catching up on each other's lives. Cole enjoyed these types of talks with his dad and made sure to cherish them. sometimes though, he was reminded of why he couldn't talk with his dad for more than twenty minutes.

Lou scratched his head. "I swear I put my pen here. Where could it have gone?"

"I got it," Cole said, handing him the pen.

"Ah, thanks." The older man then pointed to a stack of papers. "Will you look through those papers and hand me the one that has the name Kendrick Hammers please?"

Cole nodded and went to look for the paper. As he did, he spread out all of the papers and searched for the name. His eyes scanned over the papers and he found the right one. But before he handed it to his father, he saw the edge of a picture poking through the mess of papers. Cole took it out to look, out of curiosity, and his eyes widened a bit.

The photo wasn't taken too long ago but, it must've been some years back. It was a picture of Lou and Chelsea, both holding a large platinum trophy. His father wore the same smile he always made when he took pictures—if you could even call it a smile. It was more like a small smirk, but his eyes were very happy. Cole could personally say that Lou's dark brown eyes were lit up with pride and joy. Chelsea wore the same kind of expression though her smile really showed it. She looked younger—her cheeks were a bit fuller and she seemed shorter next to Lou when, in the present, she was taller. Her face was overloaded with stage make up and her hair was in a frizzled mess around her face, but she looked incredibly happy. Lou had an arm around the girl and she had hers around him in return. The older man's visage was that of a proud father.

"Found that paper yet son?"

Cole blinked out of his trance and he shook his head. "U-uh yeah!" He handed the paper the older one.

Lou thanked him and paused as he caught site of the picture. "What do you have there?" he asked. The younger Brookestone showed him the picture and a smile immediately crept on his face. Lou's eyes softened at the photo. "I remember that. Chelsea won 1st place overall at nationals. It was her first time winning a crystal award on a solo." Lou took the photo in his hands and his smile grew. "I think she was about 15 or 16 then. I don't remember but she did very well. I was very proud of her."

The Master of Earth continued to look at the picture alongside his father. A similar grin lifted his lips. "I don't doubt it. She's a really good dancer."

Lou's eyes averted to his son and couldn't help but chuckle internally at the fondness that radiated off him. "Of course she is. I taught her!" Lou exclaimed proudly and Cole rolled his eyes. The younger one went to sort out more papers and Lou did the same but his eyes held a mischievous glint. "How is she faring as a ninja?"

"She's doing great," Cole replied. "She's picking up techniques quickly and trains hard. Sometimes she even asks me to help her when we're off which is really admirable. She's also really fitting in well with the team. No one's complained about her at all."

"Really? Even with that smart mouth of hers?" Lou chuckled.

Cole laughed. "Hey, it's funny watching Jay run out of comebacks."

"What do you think of her personally?"

The black haired man organized the papers as he spoke. "Chelsea's a great addition to the team I think. At first I thought another member would make us feel clustered but she just fits in so well. I don't know; she's just fun to hang around with. A couple days after she met us, she cooked breakfast and it was so good. She made waffles and chocolate chip pancakes and I love those. Also, did you know loves reggae music, Michael Jackson, and Beyoncé? Dad, you _know _how I feel about all three subjects."

"She sounds like a keeper," Lou laughed. "Ever thought about getting to know her a little more?"

At that moment, Cole paused. He raised a thick brow and looked at his father with question. "What do you mean?"

Lou shrugged. "You know, just going out and getting to know each other. You guys seem to have so much in common already, so why not?"

Mr. Brookestone forced himself to contain his laughter as Cole sputtered unintelligently. He looked to see his son's face heated up so much his skin was starting to drown in crimson.

Cole gathered himself enough to say, "W-what—you mean like on a date? Why would I do that?"

"Why wouldn't you? Don't you like her?" Lou questioned.

The young man stuttered, "Yeah I like her—I mean, not like that! I mean she's nice, a-and she's beautiful, but—dad! Stop looking at me like that! I'm trying to explain!" By now, Cole's face was red and his words were anything but useful. The embarrassment he felt under his father's gallant stare made him want to die.

Lou shook his head and chuckled. "Oh son. When will you learn? I know you like the back of my hand and you like that girl. So when you finally decide to pull your tail out of your legs, take her out to a nice dinner. I'm sure you know she likes pasta. And make sure you dress nicely and comb that hair of yours. Don't embarrass the family name."

Cole dragged his hand down his face and glared at his teasing father. "Daaaad stop."

"It'll all be fine. Chelsea's a wonderful young lady and you've got to show her what an equally wonderful young man you are."

"How do you know she's even attracted to me?" he muttered.

Lou gave him a look and then he laughed. "Sometimes seemingly harmless stares last for too long."

Okay…? He didn't even know what that meant but Cole decided against asking him about it. His face was already burning, embarrassment was strangling his throat, and he really didn't need a headache to go along with that.

Despite himself, Cole pouted and grumbled. He looked away from his father's teasing stare and resorted to organizing the papers before him. There was a question that bugged him though. "Why are you so adamant on us going out anyway?"

"You two remind me of your mother and me eons ago." Cole's eyes widened a bit as he glanced back at the older one. "And plus, Chelsea's like a daughter to me. If I know her as well as I say I do, then I'm certain you two will go far." Lou's face then flattened as he gave his son a dead-panned look. "Also, you're almost 22 and haven't shown interest in _anyone_ until now. Seriously son, I want grandkids before I die."

"DAD!"

Before Cole could tackle the man who beleaguered his sanity, the door to the office clicked open and the last person Cole wanted to see right now poked her head out from the door.

He swore he felt his heart drop to his stomach. God was really trying his life today. If Chelsea had heard one thing from their conversation, he really hoped it wasn't the part about grandkids. He really, _really, _hoped so. If she had, the team leader would have to resign from his position as a ninja, shave his head, and become a drag queen to save himself from the embarrassment.

The Grey Ninja must've gone out for a bit because she was wearing a large black hoodie on top of her dance wear. Her eyes met Cole's and she smiled at him before averting her gaze to his father. "Mr. B can I talk to you real quick? It's important."

"Is everything alright?"

Taking that as an invite inside, the new ninja slid right in and closed the door behind her. Whatever she was about to say made her nervous, Cole concluded. She was messing with her fingers and her eyes glanced downwards as she began to talk.

"Well, Marcus, Isabel, and I went out to get some smoothies and everything was cool and then this guy was looking all sad and we asked him what was wrong; the person he was supposed to dance with at districts got into a car crash and Mr. B, we couldn't leave him there. His parents were coming down from up north to see him dance and now they have to cancel the flight and all that money will go to waste and—well…I guess what I'm asking is: Got room for one more person?"

It was all in one breath and Cole hadn't even had the energy to remember the middle parts of her speech, but he caught the first and last parts. He wondered what kind of smoothie she got. More importantly, who was this other person?

Lou's expression did not look all that inviting and he was blatantly honest about it. "I do understand and sympathize for the boy but Chelsea I don't have the time or the energy to handle another dancer. Competition is in four days—"

"I know, but please Mr. B." She pleadingly looked up at him, folding her hands together. "He's desperate. This is the first time he's gone to districts and he really wants to make his parents proud, especially his mom. I'll even work with him. If he wins, he's agreed to give us the emerald. You won't have to do anything but register his name under the company. This just means a higher chance of us winning and getting that emerald!"

His eyes wavered. "I don't know…"

Chelsea's eyes widened and she jutted out her bottom lips, her brown irises glittering so much Cole thought she was about to cry. That dimple he always caught sight of popped up adding to the cute plea. "Oh pleeeeeaase Mr. Lou-y."

Cole raised his brows in humor and all the older Brookestone could do was sputter pathetically, his authority-like manner deteriorating by the second. Lou's brows scrunched together in defeat and he closed his eyes, inhaling before exhaling heavily.

"Fine," he grumbled. "He can work with us."

She jumped into his arms and gave the old man a squeeze. Chelsea repeatedly said her gratitude and Lou looked away, ashamed he relented so easily. He patted her back and continued to pout.

"I promise you won't regret it. Jasper seems like a great dancer! I want you to come meet him, you too Cole. Let's go!"

The tall woman left as quickly as she slid in and Cole immediately burst into hilarity as his father gave him a glare; it was similar to the one he gave him not too long ago. He enjoyed how the roles switched so quickly.

Lou shoved the papers aside and mumbled, "Like I said before, she reminds me of your mother…which is a good and bad thing considering your mother was very persuasive."

Cole shook his head and patted the defeated man's back as they headed out the door.

* * *

**_A/N: School was invented by the devil. I'm sure of it._**

**_Anyway…an update! Finally._**

**_Not much to say. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll work really hard to get chapters in a bit more quickly. _**

**_Remember kids: stay in school, don't do drugs, stay #woke, and have a fabulous holiday week._**

**_Sylvia-Ann~ _**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"_The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool."  
—Stephan King_

* * *

Chapter 15

_**Competition Day**_

Jasper proved to be an endearing man with a kind heart. His charming personality along with his work ethic was attractive. The day after Lou had talked to him he came in and worked on the dance. The dance itself was a duet and he needed another person to partner with him.

Before Mr. Brookestone could give him options on who to dance with, the dark-haired man said, "Would it be okay if I worked with Chelsea?"

Lou was hesitant on the idea for more reasons than one, but the Grey Ninja was very excepting. When she heard about his request, she immediately invited him over to Isabel's house to work on it. So during the days leading up to competition, they'd practice for however long they could. In the end, both felt confident on it.

It was the day of the competition and Lou Brookestone was in full-on captain mode. Everyone was to be up and at the coliseum, where the competition was held, at 8:00 am sharp. If anyone arrived later, they'd have to do the punishment drill which consisted of an _illegal_ amount of push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks. There would be no excuses and he'd only listen to them if it involved at least a cup of blood.

His rules were ruthless and the ninja had never been so jittery before in their entire lives. Isabel, Chelsea, Cole recommended that they all just avoid the dance director unless it was their time to go on stage—all three of them knowing the older Brookestone's wrath all too well. The rest took the advice without lament.

On the ride there, everyone was about brain dead. All the time they put into practice had hit them like a bullet train. Their body's ached a bit and exhaustion dissipated whatever energy they had left. Zane drove since he was the most awake, thus the least likely to crash.

Lloyd groaned irritably as they went over a little speed bump. It caused his body to jolt up and it wasn't helping him get some sleep. "I can't wait for this day to be over," he grumbled. He shifted a bit, finding a comfortable position on Nya's shoulder. The samurai rubbed his head in order to soothe his irritation.

Kai nodded and put his arm over his aching eyes. "I hear ya kid."

"I did not have enough cups of coffee this morning," Isabel muttered. "This headache is killing me."

Chelsea winced as Jay's sleeping form accidentally dug his hip bone in her thigh. The blue clad ninja had passed out on top of her, Isabel, and Cole—his head lying peacefully on the latter's lap. She moved him a bit to make herself more comfortable but ended up almost pushing the red head completely off. Jay made a noise, but other than that, didn't notice much.

The Master of Earth was already in a bad mood from not getting a good night's sleep and he was even grumpier because he was hungry. They all were required, by his _wonderful _father, to have a light breakfast so they wouldn't feel sluggish; but he'd rather feel sluggish than hungry. And now, Jay was drooling on his lap and he was really trying to keep from just shoving the sleeping form off him.

When he saw the woman next to him almost complete what he had fantasized of, Cole couldn't help but comment, "Just push him on the floor. It's not like he'll even notice."

The Grey Ninja snorted. "Someone's a little grumpy."

_And starving,_ might he add.

"We are approximately five minutes away," Zane announced.

"Nice. Chelsea, 'Grown Woman' is like the third one onstage so we're performing at like 9:15. Then two dances after is 'Firework' so you have a quick costume change," Isabel said.

Chelsea groaned and let her head fall. "Of course I do. For the first one we only have to wear a leotard and some shoes right? I can change easily."

"Yeah, that's not the problem though. Your hair has to go from a frizzy ponytail to a perfect high bun in five minutes. And you have to get all of the eye shadow off your face because Mr. B wants only lipstick and foundation for 'Firework'."

She made a face. "Dear Lord have mercy on my soul—okay someone will have to rip off my costume and help me change. I'm pretty sure Cass can do my hair and I can deal with my face," she said with anxiousness.

"Don't worry too much about it. I'll be there to help and so will everyone else," Nya comforted.

"Thanks."

"We're here," the White Ninja said.

The group got out the car and hurriedly got into the building. The boys and girls split up and went to separated dressing rooms. All of the ninja went to settle in the boys' room and were greeted by Marcus. Anyone could tell he had just awoken from how groggy his voice was, but he looked happy to be there.

"_Bom dia_! Good morning, ninja! I can see all of you are just _so_ happy to be up at such an hour," he excitedly joked. Multiple snorts and groans were heard from the group but Zane must've missed the sarcasm.

"Good morning Marcus. And yes, it is a blessing to wake up to another day," he kindly said.

"That's the spirit!" the dark haired Brazilian laughed. "Now 'Burn' doesn't go one for another two hours so we have time to kill. For right now, all the lyrical and jazz group dances are going on and will continue for the next two hours. So the boys who aren't competing yet were thinking that we'd just go sit in the audience and watch those who are on. Just to pass the boredom."

"Sounds like a good idea to me. My sister wants us to see the dances anyways." Kai rolled his eyes. "Says the dances will unlock our creativity—since we apparently lack in that category."

"Pfft! What's she talking about? I'm plenty creative!" Jay retorted.

Lloyd snickered. "Blowing up the Bounty's electrical system doesn't count." His humor only lasted for a second before the older ninja gave him a slap to the back of his head.

The fire wielder set his costumes to the side and sighed. "It's whatever. Someone just wake me up when it's time to go on," he yawned.

The ninja followed some of the other dancers to the direction of the stages. Kai was about to tag along when Marcus spun goofily around him. The taller dancer tapped Kai's nose and gave him a mischievous look.

"You never know ninja _belo_," he winked, "dance competitions can be a lot of fun if you're with the right people."

And before anything else was said, Marcus happily went on his way, grabbing a hold of the brunette's wrist. Kai couldn't speak for the longest time, trying to come to terms with what had just happened. He tried to ignore the fact that he got kind of giddy that his wrist was held captive by Marcus' calloused hand. He really tried to ignore how nervous he felt. And most of all, he desperately tried to fight and ignore the blush that burned his cheeks.

This was going to be quite an interesting day.

…

Before the group got to the stage they passed by the hall where many dancers from different companies were. Some were roaming around, buying merchandise, and others were rehearsing in the large space. Among those rehearsing was Mr. Brookestone and his dancers.

He stood before the group of eight, his eyes narrowed analytically as they did the dance. They weren't going at it full out but kind of singing the words as they performed the movements half-way. The eight dancers were dressed in a black, leathery, leotard with extra fabric hanging from their sides. Fake silver jewels circled their hips. On top of their tights were simple black jazz shoes. Their eyes were heavily painted with black eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadow and their lips were rose red. Everyone's hair was in a bushy, teased, ponytail.

After they ran through the routine once, Mr. Brookestone nodded. "Alright, grab a partner and stretch one last time. Then we'll go to the stage," he instructed before going to sort out the CD's.

Chelsea and Nya were both in this dance together. The taller woman went into a middle split and lied on her stomach whiles Nya sat on the top of her butt. The young samurai tapped Chelsea's feet and she pointed her toes. Twenty seconds passed and the two stood up before Nya bent down and lifted her leg behind her. Chelsea took her leg and stretched it upwards, resting it on her shoulder.

The ninja gave them a painful look. Jay made a face of agony and bewilderment before cringing. "That looks like it hurts," he yelped.

Nya heard and grunted as the Master of Shadows lifted her leg higher till she was doing a full split in the air. "It does," she strained.

"Straighten that leg out and point your toe," Chelsea reprimanded. Nya's entire face was red by the time the stretch was over. She gave a sigh of relief. Chelsea firmly patted the shorter one's thighs to warm them up. "You think you're stretched out enough?" she asked

"Yeah." Nya bit her bottom lip in anxiousness and started to bounce her leg. "I'm getting really nervous. I'm afraid I'll forget the dance."

The Grey Ninja gave her an encouraging smile. "I understand and I promise you'll be fine. It's really nerve wracking right before you perform but once you get up there you just go with the flow. If you do forget the dance, just do something. Improvise. We are the only ones that'll know you messed up."

Kai wrapped his arm around his sister's shoulder and nudged her a bit, making her laugh. "Stop psyching yourself out. You'll do great sis. Just get up there and look pretty. Try not to screw up the family name though."

Nya rolled her eyes but smiled. "Gee, thanks Kai."

"Time to go girls," Mr. Brookestone said. The dancers followed after him. The rest that were going to watch wished all the girls good luck.

The group of boys made their way to the seats of the enormous auditorium. There were other dancers from IDA already so they sat near them. The heroic group couldn't sit together due other people sitting in erratic patterns, and they didn't mind at all.

Lloyd and Cole sat on the sides of Jasper and Jay and Zane sat farther off to the side. In the row in front them was Kai and Marcus. The spots between all them were filled with IDA members and parents.

A loud voice sounded the air as dancers with frilly skirts walked off the stage. "Up next, IDA, group number 3—performing 'Grown Woman'."

Polite cheers were heard from the crowd but the mass of IDA members screamed loudly, cheering obnoxiously, making the dancers on stage struggle to contain their laughter. It was a tradition Lou didn't take a liking to at first but eventually warmed up to it.

Kai wolf whistled loudly when it was quiet causing the crowd to laugh.

The music started and immediately the dancers went into action. At certain parts, when anyone could tell the dancers were actually getting into it, or when a dance move was executed in sync, many would clap and cheer.

Jasper crimson eyes glanced at the man with shaggy-black hair. Cole was entranced; that wasn't hard to tell. His green irises were glossed over in amazement and adoration. They focused on one particular girl whose entire body moved to the beat and mood. Each time she twirled, shook her hips, or lunged herself into a leap, the black-clad ninja's visage would brighten. This was the man he was looking for—the emerald's owner.

A wicked smirk lifted the corners of Jasper's lips. If this man's heart was already so deeply involved with the Grey Ninja, then his mission would be a lot easier to complete. Infatuation was an easily manipulative emotion.

"They're very good," Jasper suddenly said.

Lloyd nodded without hesitation. Speaking with the handsome man before made the young ninja comfortable with him. "I can't wait to see the other dances," he spoke excitedly. "I'm glad you can perform Jasper. It's a good thing you had time to rehearse. It would've sucked if you couldn't, especially since you seemed so excited before."

"I'm very grateful for this company's kindness. I'm especially thankful for Chelsea for working with me. She already has so many dances to focus on and the fact that she was willing to work with me is very admirable."

Jasper was delighted to see Cole join the conversation. "She's really passionate about this. Her eyes get so bright whenever she talks about dance." The smile he wore was dazed. "Last night, she had trouble sleeping because she was so excited about today so I let her ramble to me till she fell asleep."

"I find her dedication beautiful," the red-eyed man said earning a side glance from Cole that wasn't very ecstatic. "During the last few practices with her, I would have to keep myself from losing focus. Watching her dance is alluring and I'm _very _happy our dance requires…such amorous movements."

His voice was low, but the shadow warrior made sure the Master of Earth could hear every word. Jasper kept his eyes on Chelsea, his gaze running over each curve and hill. His tongue darted out and moistened his bottom lip. In his peripheral vision, Cole threw knives at him. Choleric emeralds burned the side of his head.

"Cole, I see you have become infatuated with her and I have unfortunately fallen for her as well." Jasper met his glare with a matching intensity. "I am all about fairness. So, I'm here to tell you that I will do what I can to win her heart. For her kindness towards me, I plan to make her feel wanted emotionally and not to mention _physically_."

An irascible feeling sprung up Cole's spine. Not only had this new guy out rightly say he posed a threat, but the way his crimson eyes ravishingly grazed over the Master of Shadows rubbed him the wrong way. Cole was all about proving himself worthy in a fair competition. Yeah, Jasper's arrogance irritated him to no end. And yes, he was definitely exacerbated that this undeniably good looking guy was threatening his chances with Chelsea. (Guess he finally knows how Jay felt). But Jasper's glare was too ravished. His forceful words were too…creepy. Cole felt violated for the woman onstage and, with this feeling, he wouldn't allow the pale man to be alone with her.

Not to mention, his sudden threat seemed…well, _sudden_. It hasn't even been 24 hours since this guy's shown up. It was startling that he had taken such a deep interest towards the dancer. Even so, his approach was hasty and more so disturbing.

Tan arms flexed as they pushed their owner to the tip of his seat, so he'd be closer to Jasper. "Listen," he said lowly, voice almost growling, "I don't care that you like her. You can like her for as long as you like, but if I find out you touch or even look at her in any way that makes her feel uncomfortable you'll have to hear from me."

Jasper hummed loftily. "And what could you possibly do? Enlighten me."

Cole smirked. "I guess we'll have to wait and see." He sat back in his chair and silently watched the rest of the dance.

…

The day went by quickly, surprisingly. All performances from IDA were a success. Nya's worry was for nothing for she carried out each dance she was in flawlessly, as expected. Her tap duet with Jay caused the audience to go into an uproar. It was a beautiful dance. Usually tap dances weren't appealing to many but their duet made it something so special, the audience was in love. It was the same effect with the trio. Kai, Cole, and Zane proved to be masters of smooth hip-hop. They grabbed the attention of the female and male audience immediately. In their white dress shirts, black pants, and tie, their dance was hype. When they walked off stage, they were attacked in a hug by their teacher, proud tears strolling down Chelsea's cheeks.

After "Burn" most of the audience stood up to applaud for the hard hitting dance. The dance Chelsea and Lloyd were in was with a large group of people (16 people). It was an electrifying dance that rendered the audience speechless. It was executed in sync and the power of the dance resulted in a mighty applause. Jasper and Chelsea's duet was captivating and alluring. Isabel, Chelsea, and many others had solos which all did very well. All performances were brilliant and, to much of the dancers' relief, Mr. Brookestone hugged each and every one of them with happiness.

Awards started in about two hours, giving them enough time to eat and get ready. The awards were very formal so they were required to dress up. Quickly, the group of eight rushed back to Isabel's house to get ready. All they really had to do was shower and change because they laid their clothes out before they left, but they also had to eat and try not to pass out from exhaustion. The girls didn't even think they would have time to eat because technically they only had an hour to get ready. It took fifteen minutes to get there without traffic.

Waiting at the door were the ninja. Each was dressed in black dress pants and shoes. Jay wore a white shirt under a blue vest and black tie. The rest wore dress shirts in their signature colors. Lloyd didn't wear a jacket, just the shirt and a bowtie; his sleeves were rolled up. Cole had a jacket on, but it was left open. Zane and Kai's jackets were buttoned up. Some chose to comb their hair in an orderly fashion and the rest just went with their everyday style.

Of course they understood that it was easier for them to get ready, but it was 9:25 and the awards would start in a little more than half an hour.

"You guys ready yet!?" Kai shouted.

"We're comin'! We're comin'!" Nya shouted back.

The short woman was the first to immerge from the steps. Nya wore a black, long, evening dress. It had a halter-styled top and silver jewels decorated the sides of her chest and down to her waist, bringing out an hourglass shape. The slit started at mid thigh. It was simplistic but it was stunning. She wore black sandals. Her hair was straightened and her bangs were clipped back in an elegant puff. The rest of her hair was slicked back giving way to the dangling earrings. She wore matte red lipstick, smoke-y eye shadow, and mascara.

Next was Chelsea who wore a dark purple long dress that was formfitting to her hips. The sleeves that started just below her shoulders were made of see through material. The bodice also had tiny crystals here and there, and was heart shaped. The rest of dress was flow-y; the extra purple, light, fabric flowing from her waist. She wore black high heels. Her hair was also bone-straight and in a middle part. The front part was slicked back, framing her face. Her visage was decorated with dark purple lipstick, smoke-y eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner, and small hoop earrings.

Isabel followed after wearing a beautiful white laced dress. The top part was completely lace and the neck line started at the gold buckle around her waist. There was skin-colored material there to cover what needed to be covered, and keep the sides of the dress in place. Below the gold buckle, the white material flowed down to her feet, a slit on the left side. She wore white heels. Isabel pulled her dyed hair in a ponytail, leaving tiny hairs to frame her face. The hair hanging was curled and teased with a bit. On her lips was a nude gloss and she wore the same eye makeup as the rest. Diamond studs were on her ears.

"You guys are lookin' spiffy!" Kai whistled.

Chelsea rolled her eyes and laughed. "Thanks."

Jay went up to Nya, eyes wide with astonishment. The pale woman blushed a bit from the look she received. "Nya, you look beautiful," he said exasperated.

"Thank you Jay. Blue really is your color," she complimented

The two smiled at each other and Jay placed his arm around her waist. Nya gasped inaudibly and was thoroughly surprised from the bold act of affection. She quickly regained her composure but couldn't help but giggle at how awkward they were.

"I'm gonna go around and get the car," Isabel announced before hurrying off.

Chelsea shifted her hand jewelry around before saying, "What are we going to do if we don't win the emerald?"

"We're gonna have to compromise with the winner because we need that emerald. Sensei Wu is coming to the awards. I'm sure he can explain why we need it," said Lloyd.

Zane then spoke, "Let's not be pessimistic. I believe we have a very good shot at winning the whole competition. Let's just hope Eltanse doesn't show her face there. It's heavily populated and a lot of people would get hurt if she were to show up."

"Speaking of which, just in case Eltanse does show up, we need to be on guard. Chelsea, Kai, Jay, do you have your emeralds?" the Earth Ninja asked. They took their emeralds out, all three of them glowing from their proximity. "Good. Today was fun and I want it to stay that way for everyone else." Cole smiled. "Now let's go win that emerald."

The team nodded in full agreement.

…

The six ninja, samurai, and their sensei sat at a table together. The lively host walked on stage and the background music dimmed down along with the chatter. He greeted the audience, and congratulated all the dancers for a job well done. He continued to talk on and some of the people continued on with their conversations knowing they weren't missing anything important.

Cole drummed his fingers on the table, bees in his stomach. He looked to the dark-skinned woman to his left and couldn't help but blush a bit. This was the fifth time he's looked at her in the past three minutes and he was cursing at himself for being so shy. He couldn't help it. She just looked so beautiful the way the light caught her body, her dress glittering around her. Chelsea's tall neck and prominent jaw made her shine with elegance and power. As she looked around the room, seemingly reminiscing in the memory of her past years, her thick painted lips would spread into a smile and those dimples would come out. Cole swore his heart skipped a beat.

Ever since the discussion with his dad, he has been urging himself to just ask the new ninja out. Not out as in, be-my-girlfriend out. He wanted to take things slowly. He was thinking of just going out with her to get to know each other. Now that he knew Jasper, who sat with his family not too far from them, was a threat to him he needed to hurry.

So, taking his tail out of his legs, Cole turned to the Grey Kunoichi.

Chelsea shook her head a bit and rubbed her arms. She sucked in her teeth and laughed, "Whoo, it's cold in here. You would think because it's so chilly outside they'd turn up the heat."

Taking his chance, Cole removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. "Here, I don't need it."

Chelsea made a noise and sputtered in nervousness. "C-Cole! No! I don't want you to get cold. I don't need—"

"No, have it for now."

"But Cole, I—"

"Chelsea, I'm fine," laughed.

The warmth spread across her body and the young woman's cheeks heated up. The smell of cologne and pine cone made her fall into a daze. Chelsea blinked repeatedly and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She stared at the ground, a bashful expression on her face. Coffee irises glanced up at the smiling man.

"Thank you," she muttered quietly.

"It's no problem," he said. Cole looked around before building up the courage to say what was on his mind. "I didn't get to tell you this before, but you look very beautiful tonight. And you were just amazing today."

Her back straightened a bit and Chelsea smiled a small one. The compliment encouraged her to turn her body to him, silently telling him she had her full attention. "Why Cole, are you flirting with me?" she joked, easing the awkwardness. "Thank you. It really means a lot. And why do you hate dancing so much? You're so good at it. You had me in tears."

"I mean, it's not that I hate it. It's just not something I particularly like to do all the time." The Master of Earth shrugged and looked at her with mischief. "But I guess I do a mean moonwalk. Might as well call me MJ."

She playfully smacked his arm and the two of them laughed. "Don't get cocky on me…but I do have to say, you had my attention. You did very well and thank you for working so hard today." Her eyes rolled upwards and she bit her lip in playfulness. "And…a tuxedo does you justice."

"Why Chelsea, are you flirting with me?" he teased.

Chelsea jokingly puckered her lips. "Well I mean…it depends, handsome. Are ya' single?" she said in a southern accent.

Both burst into a fit of hilarity before quieting down. They stared at each other in comfortable silence. In the moment, Cole took her hand in his, his thumb running over the top of her hand lightly. Chelsea looked down at their hands before meeting the muscular man's soft gaze. Her heart began to race as he opened his mouth to speak.

Cole tried his best to smile without faltering from nervousness. It was now or never. "Hey, I know this is out of the blue and a little sudden, but would you like to go out to see a movie or something with me? Or even go for a walk and just talk? I've liked you for a bit and would like to get to know you a little more."

To say the kunoichi was speechless was an understatement. She was taken aback. It was unbearably silent and the man before her was radiating anxiousness. Chelsea blinked multiple times and a disbelieving smile graced her lips. Throughout these couple of months, she couldn't deny that the Black Ninja had caught her eye. Not only had she admired the young man's almost ethereal beauty, but his willpower had astounded her. The amount of courage and love this man had for protecting those around him made her heart flutter. His passionate feelings towards justice were overwhelming and admirable. Whenever those vibrant green eyes touched her dark coffee irises, she could feel herself just melt into them. Chelsea was never really a fan of green, but she really _really _liked his green. And it was so random and weird but _God_—his arms were just so _nice._

She hadn't had much time or room for thought to show him that she had a tiny crush. That and her pride would always hover over her, staring at her with sweet beady eyes as it chocked her quiet. Also, there was that one fight they had not too long ago—which she felt horrible about—but that was over with. He liked her back and he just asked her out. He literally just asked her out.

_Well answer him!_

What came out of her mouth was more of an impulse. If she had been in her right mind, she would've sad something a lot more lady-like but, then again, the answer was all still the same.

"It took you long enough!" she whisper-shouted. Chelsea squeezed his hand back and nodded happily. "Yes, yes I would love to get to know you better."

Relief had never felt better. A smile almost ripped Cole's face in half. "You just made me the happiest man of the night," he said.

She grinned.

"Now for the awards for each dance," the host announced making everyone go quiet instantly.

The awards values go as shown: silver, gold, high, gold, platinum, double platinum, and crystal. All of IDA's team dances and solos got platinum, double platinum, or crystal and many won first, second, or third, in their category. Each time a team's dance was called, they'd send a member from the dance to go up there and collect the award. Everyone there got to go up at least once. Before announcing overall scores, the judges presented their own awards.

One judge gave an award to Kai, Cole, and Zane for being the smoothest and exciting dancers. Chelsea received an award for the fiercest dancer from a female judge. Jessie got an award for the most photogenic dancer. Nya and Jay were called to receive an award for the dance with the most feeling.

"Alright ladies in gentlemen, we will now start naming the top placing dances of the competition. Starting from seventh place is 'Love on Top'. In sixth place is 'Firework'." Jessie went up for it. "In fifth place is 'Crazy in Love'." Jasper smiled at Chelsea and he got up for the award. "Fourth place is 'Burn'." Marcus and Oscar went up for it. "In third place is' Bow Down'." Despite his embarrassment, Lloyd was pushed up there to accept it. "In second place is 'Rather Be'." Nya and Jay looked at each other in surprise and rushed to the stage.

"Drum roll please!"

By now, everyone in IDA stood around a single table. They had their fingers crossed, eyes squeezed shut.

"And now, the winner of the Hiyama City district competition, and of the black emerald, is…"

The platinum trophy with the emerald in it was lifted to the stage, glimmering in all its glory.

"If we don't win this damn emerald I'll steal it myself," Kai muttered as he squeezed his fingers a bit harder.

"In first place, 1/12th of a point away from a perfect score…"

Mr. Brookestone rolled his eyes. "Would he just call it already? I'm getting old."

"A dance that took was a personal favorite of most all of the judges…"

"Oh come on!" Jay whined.

"Kings of Pop!"

Chelsea's eyes popped open and she screamed along with the rest of the company. Everyone looked at the three ninja who looked at each other with amazement. Kai, Cole, and Zane almost fainted with disbelief. They couldn't believe it. They had won!

"Well go up there boys!" Sensei Wu laughed, relief in his old features.

The trio high fived each other. With the applause beating in their eardrums, they accepted the awards. It took all three of them to hold the trophy and Cole took his signature colored emerald, holding it proudly in the air.

…

Isabel waved her hand. "Squeeze in a bit more," she ordered.

Begrudgingly, the heroic group took steps inward, feeling the body heat from the people next to them.

"Kai, could you please scoot over," the blue clad ninja complained.

Hazel eyes threw a mean glare at him. "Whaddya want me to do, sit on Zane's lap?"

"You have a whole inch of space right there!"

"What space!?"

"Please just take the picture," Nya groaned.

The grey haired girl ignored their grumbles. She smiled and said, "Alright, big smiles everyone. One, two, three!" Her finger hit the button and the camera clicked.

As soon as the ninja and samurai saw the flash's print fade away from their eyes, they loosened their faces and sighed in relief. They had been taking pictures all night and their cheeks were hurting quite a bit.

"I can't wait to go home and just sleep. I'm exhausted," Jay yawned, rubbing his eye.

Lou hugged his son who embraced him back. "You all deserve it. We had a clean winning streak. I thank you for working tirelessly. And Cole," he lowered his voice for the younger one's ears, "I hope to see you and Chelsea pass by sometime. Don't be strangers."

Cole rolled his eyes but laughed nonetheless. "You got it pops."

"I assume you all have enjoyed your break," Sensei Wu smiled cheekily. "I recommend we hurry back to the monastery. Tomorrow morning will be a good day to train. Won't be too cold."

The ninja groaned loudly.

"Are you kidding me!? When will we ever get a break?" Lloyd grumbled, his sapphire eyes pleadingly gazing at his snickering uncle.

For now, they still conversed amongst themselves, saying goodbye to the new friends they made. Chelsea was just about to go say goodbye to Isabel and Marcus before she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to meet familiar crimson eyes. Jasper smiled charmingly at her and she returned it.

"Congratulations on all your achievements tonight," he politely said.

Chelsea hugged him. "You too. You did so well. That trophy was well deserved."

He shook his head. "I couldn't have done it without you. Again, thank you so much for competing with me. It means the world to me. And might I say, you look beautiful in that dress." He bowed and kissed her hand, showing his gratitude.

The kunoichi gasped and giggled bashfully behind her hand. "Thank you Jasper. And it was really no problem. I hope your family enjoyed the dance."

His eyes brightened as if he remembered something. "Speaking of which, I know you are ready to leave, but I told my parents about what you did for me and they would like to meet you. It'll only take a quick second."

Chelsea looked back at the group. They were still heavily conversing and it didn't look as if they were moving anytime soon. She decided she would be fine. She'd only be gone for a couple minutes.

"Alright," she nodded.

Jasper whisked her off out of the crowd. They went behind the stage and down a long hallway. As time went on, there were less and less people. Chelsea looked around to see they were walking to a deserted place. She gave the man holding onto her wrist a peculiar look. "Uh, Jasper, where are we going?"

He ignored her and continued to walk on. Alarms blared in the Grey Ninja's head. The voice in her head was screaming for her to turn away and go back. This entire situation screamed dangerous. For once, she would listen to it.

"Hey, I think it would be best if I go back to—"

Suddenly, she was shoved forwards. Chelsea yelped in pain as both of her wrists were taken captive and roughly tied with rope. She was flipped around and just as she was about to scream for help, a lengthy sword pressed against the delicate flesh of her neck. Her eyes grazed over the sleek black designs of the sword and instantly widened in recognition.

She'd seen that sword too many times before.

On instinct, she struggled within her captor's grip. With ease, Jasper was able to get her under control, pressing the sharp blade to her throat even more. A faint red line appeared on her neck and Chelsea froze. Her breathes were harsh as she kept her eyes on the sword.

"Now ninja, it'd be best if you kept quiet. That precious emerald of yours will soon have the ninja looking for you. So, in the mean time, you and I will have a lovely time together. But if you so much as scream, a lot more people will have to be killed tonight." She shuddered as his tongue came in contact with her ear. "I want this game of hide and seek to be fun," he said, his breath startling cold against her cheek.

She grunted in irritation as the arm around her waist tightened. Chelsea looked to see crimson eyes almost darken to the color of fresh blood. Malicious fangs gleamed in the moonlight and pale skin suddenly turned grey.

"Who are you?" she gasped.

"I am Jasper, army general of the Shadow Soldiers, and right hand man to the Shadow Queen."

* * *

_**A/N: Hey guys, happy New Year's Eve Eve! Are you guys excited for 2016? I sure am. Hope you have your New Year's resolutions down.**_

_**This chapter was meh but it was necessary. It was so hard to spit out though. I had to take breaks after like every sentence and it was just a mess. And I've noticed that elaborating the clothing of men is so much more easier than women. I described what the ninja were wearing in five seconds but with the female characters, I had to keep pausing and looking at references and junk. Talk about tiring. But I can't complain too much because it is a guilty pleasure of mine hehe. **_

_**Anyways, Jasper finally revealed himself to the ninja and now I get to start writing the real juicy parts of the plot. Fight scenes here we come!**_

_**Thank you guys for the comments, follows, and favorites! And thank you for just reading my story. It means a lot. You guys rock!**_

_**Sylvia-Ann~**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Weather forecast for tonight: dark."  
_—George Carlin_

* * *

_**Lloyd**_

Lloyd blushed madly as he was smothered by the girls at the competition. For a little while, he had forgotten he was a popular entity in the lands of Ninjago. Once the competition had ended and he had taken pictures with his friends, a couple of girls had come up to him and asked for a picture. Seeing no problem with just one picture, the young blonde proceeded to smile handsomely and thanked the girls for complimenting him on his performance. He smiled in amusement as they blushed and mumbled their gratitude, almost tripping over themselves.

Before he had even gotten the chance to breathe, the Green Ninja soon found himself surrounded by a multitude of people who shouted at him for a picture. He was then suddenly reminded of why he hardly went out into big cities. It was times like these that Lloyd cursed his inability to say no, especially to such excited expressions. The guilt would eat him up if he were to cause a fan to become soaked in distraught over rejection from him. So, begrudgingly, the young man sucked up his misfortune, and dealt with the stinging pain in his flushed cheeks.

The bright and cheerful façade lasted for a little over ten minutes. Right after the eleven minute mark, Lloyd's attitude considerably dropped below the meter and he could feel his irritation growing. There was just so much shouting, shoving, flashing, and crying going on that he was unable to hold back. It had gotten to a point where he had begun to have small outbursts.

"Lloyd! Over here!"

He chuckled nervously. "J-just one moment!"

"Lloyd! Lloyd! Take a picture with me!"

"I will, just hold on—"

"I love you so much Lloyd!"

"_Ahhhh_ he's so handsome; I just want to kiss him!"

The growing blonde's cheeks burned with embarrassment and he tried to push down the slightly uncomfortable feeling rising in his stomach. "Th-thank you! You are all too kind." He robotically said the words, just as he had practiced with the others for these kinds of situations. But even with the rehearsed lines, nothing could've prepared for what was to come.

"Lloyd-sama have my babies!"

"I want Lloyd-chan to marry me!"

Sapphire irises almost glowed as they snapped open. Lloyd's face was now completely submerged in a crimson color and he trembled before snapping, "_NO!"_

It wasn't the 'have my babies' part that made him so embarrassed. He was used to those kinds of comments—well, not _used _to them, but they weren't anything unexpected. But the usage of the Japanese honorifics made him go crazy. It wasn't that he found them disrespectful in any way, but they were just so embarrassing. Being part Japanese had meant he learned what they signified. And in spite of that, honorifics were never used within his family. Having someone attach such…forward suffixes to his name made him flustered beyond belief. It was already embarrassing enough, but it didn't help that Kai had so kindly shared what they meant to the others. Long story short, it had taken _two weeks_ for them to stop teasing him the first time this happened.

When two teary faces met his gazes, Lloyd shook his head and hands desperately. "I-I meant no need for the honorifics. It's j-just Lloyd."

"And unfortunately, _Lloyd-chan_ has to take his leave. Sorry girls," Sensei Wu snickered from the front stage. He twirled the microphone's wire in his hands as he winked at his glaring nephew.

A collective group of disappointed groans filled the auditorium but, with surprising obedience, the crowd surrounding the ninja turned to leave.

Lloyd sighed in heavy relief as his arms became free from the chain like grips of the girls. Out of nowhere, the rest of the ninja filed in, taunting giggles and laughs on their lips. Lloyd gazed at them in disbelief.

"Where were you guys!? I almost died out there!"

Kai chuckled and tousled about the teen's golden locks. "As soon as we saw one of your fans recognize you, we booked it. Sorry kid. As much as I would've liked to divulge in an endless sea of attention with you, I'm beat."

Jay fruitlessly covered his laughs with his hands. "Are you alright _Lloyd-sama_? You're all red," he said before he, Kai, and Cole broke out in full hilarity, barley able to stand.

Trying desperately to remember his calming techniques, Lloyd gritted his teeth. "S-shut up!" As they continued to laugh, he sighed miserably, only taking comfort in Zane's hopeless smile and Nya's attempt to cover up her giggles. "Can we just go home now? I think I need to scream in my pillow before I blow something up," he muttered in a dull manner.

Isabel chuckled nervously at Lloyd's dead-panned expression, hoping he was joking. "You all are welcomed to stay over another night and leave tomorrow if you're too tired to make the trip back."

Wiping a tear from his eye and receiving a disapproving stare from his father, Cole sobered up from his laughter but smiled widely. He politely declined the offer. "Thank you, but it would be better if we left tonight. Leaving now beats having to travel at five in the morning to make it for morning training. We aren't morning people." Suddenly, his smile dropped and he blinked repeatedly. Cole's head twisted around, eyes scanning the room. "Wait. Speaking of which, where's Chelsea?"

As the Grey Ninja's absence dawned on the group, a collective response of inquisitive hums left their throats. Lloyd looked amongst the crowd of people and tried to his best to look out for the kunoichi. When that had proven to be an utter failure, Lloyd tried to remember the last time he saw her. He looked up in thought.

_She couldn't have gone far. She was just with us, taking pictures not too long ago. Then I think she went to go talk to someone, probably one of her friends from dance. _Lloyd looked around to see that everyone from IDA was still here. _Wait, but with everyone here, she should be around here somewhere. I'm sure she wouldn't have trailed off without telling someone._

"Could she have possibly gone out to get the car?" Lou suggested.

Isabel shook her head, holding the keys. "No, she couldn't have. I have the keys right here."

Lloyd frowned in worry. "Someone try calling her."

Marcus held the young woman's purse out in the air. "I have her phone in here."

This was kind of worrying and Lloyd could tell by the way Cole's eyes stared intently at the floor boards that he was already devising a plan. "Alright, we need to find her immediately," Cole stated. "Something's not right."

Kai rolled his eyes. "You guys need to chill out. I'm sure Chels is fine. She probably went to the bathroom—" The fiery brunette paused in the middle of his statement only to have his eyes widen. The action was abrupt and sudden. He made a sound and his brows scrunched together, his laid-back visage drowning in distress.

The same thing had happened to both Jay and Cole, their expressions darkening in realization. All three of them stayed silent before the one with dark blue eyes spoke with misgiving.

"Did you guys feel that too?"

Sensei Wu's eyes thinned in concentration. "What is it you guys are feeling?"

"It was like an alarm just went off. There was this feeling of urgency that shot through us. It was almost pleading if that makes sense," Kai explained.

Lloyd raised a brow in confusion. His eyes lingered on the three ninja before they were attracted by the soft glow of their emeralds. He blinked. "Your emeralds," he slowly said.

"Something's really wrong." Cole looked as if he was struggling to keep from growling. His voice had deepened considerably and it really showed the apprehension he felt. Green irises stayed in a trance like state as he shook his head. It kind of scared Lloyd. "We need to find Chelsea _now_—"

Multiple shouts and screams erupted from outside of the building. It felt so overwhelming to watch hundreds of people go from a calm sway to a fast frenzy. In the midst of all the screaming, alarms in the building went off. They blared loudly, but could barely top the frantic voices of the people.

The group of ninja pushed their way out of the hall and into the center room of the building. They were met with police men holding mega phones to their lips and shouting,

"**WE ASK FOR ALL CITIZENS TO REMAIN INSIDE THE BUILDING! WE REPEAT: STAY INSIDE THE BUILDING! TRY TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THE FRONT AREA AS POSSIBLE!"**

A police officer, who was directing the people, had passed by and Lloyd went up to him. "Excuse me sir! What's going on?"

The man with thick brown beard and old grey eyes stared at him with fear. "Those ol' bastard monsters have returned. There're hundreds of 'em just marchin' in towards the front. No one knows where they came from but the Godforsaken demons already took out ten of our men!" Lloyd's eyes widened. The Shadow Soldiers. Eltanse had found them. But how? Lloyd watched the man shake his head sorrowfully. "I'on even know if we're survivin' this one to tell ya the truth. But I heard that there're sendin' choppers and busses to get them people and the ones with the heavy duty weapons are on their way; so all we can do is get everyone to the safest place and pray."

Lloyd nodded and placed a comforting hand on the police officer's shoulder. "Thank you," he peeked at his name tag, "Jonathan. You stay safe."

The older man gave him a determined smile and nodded back. "You too kid. May God be with you."

Without wasting any more time, the blonde ninja hurried back to his team. Lloyd transformed into his gi, his eyes growing hard as he thought of the situation at hand. "Queen Eltanse found us," he said scornfully. "She's sent her army and there's a multitude of the heading to the front of the building." His frown deepened even more as a thought dawned on him. "And I'm betting she has Chelsea."

The mere thought of that woman's claws even touching the Grey Ninja made the youngest ninja almost growl. Lloyd felt the growing anger in his stomach. He was about tired of this enemy. Looking around, he took in all the people who had worn faces of complete terror and hopelessness. These people, who had traveled here to participate in something they worked so hard for, were now victims to business that had nothing to do with them. For nothing, they faced death. It was so sickening how their foe's objective was to kill for the emeralds. It made Lloyd want to puke as he remembered being notified of all the dead bodies and injured people from the last attack Eltanse had placed in the populated area of Ninjago City. Eltanse's lack of empathy and sheer evil had reduced her to nothing but a vile demon in Lloyd's eyes.

"I will go help get the people to safety. I'm putting my trust in you, my students," Sensei Wu said before swiftly leaving.

The rest of the ninja transformed into their gi. Cole stepped up to give the directions. "Okay, so here's how it's gonna go. Our main priority is to protect the civilians. The police are doing their best and if I'm hearing right, armed forces are coming out. But if I'm going to be direct, we're all going to have to go on offense and fight the Shadow Soldiers. If you should run into Eltanse, _do not_ face her head on without at least one other person. If you must, try to move towards the team." His stern eyes gazed at each and every one of them. "Zane and Kai, you two will cover the front area. You'll be helping the armed forces and facing most of soldiers. Jay and Lloyd, I'll need you guys to scope out the outer parameters of the building to make sure no one is straying from the mass. Focus on the people and attack when necessary. When you feel like the sides are clear, help out the people in the front. We need as much man power as we can get. Nya do you think your samurai suit could be of any use?"

The dark-haired woman nodded. "It's already on its way."

"Perfect. You can take the skies and deflect any enemies from infiltrating the building at any point. I'll be taking the back of the auditoriums, blocking off any open gaps. I'll be at the front as soon as possible. Keep a keen eye out for Chelsea and use your wrist watch to notify all of us if you see her. Alright everyone, let's—"

"I'm going with you Cole," Lloyd interrupted.

Cole blinked, taken aback by the sudden statement, but then frowned. "No. I already gave you your orders. No exceptions."

He shook his head, staring straight at his leader with defiant eyes. "I'm not as fast as Jay. I'd only slow him down and, in the process, slow us down from getting to the front and helping out there. Besides, you'll be without back up. You're patching up the exits with rock, aren't you? I can do that too. It'll be faster and safer."

"I'm aware of that but you'll be leaving Jay unguarded. The area I'm covering will take less than ten minutes to patch before I go to the front. There's no need for you to be there too."

"I said I'm going with you Cole."

"Why are you so adamant about this?"

"I have my reasons."

"_Lloyd," _the black-clad hero seethed. "We don't have time for this."

Lloyd knew he was losing the fight but he refused to give up. Even though Cole seemed pissed off beyond belief, he stood his ground. He just had to. Just as he was about to snap back, Nya had spoken up and he had never been so thankful to hear her lovely voice.

"Wait, Cole, I'll cover Jay. I'll be in the skies so while he's scoping, I'll lead behind him and balance overseeing the other sides. It'll be easier for me to keep up with him," she said.

The team leader's eyes glowed in irritation. Lloyd knew when it came to his game plans, Cole didn't like interferences, especially when they didn't have room for discussion; but he had to. Lloyd knew that the Master of Earth was going off to look for Chelsea on his own. Cole's obvious infatuation with the female ninja told Lloyd that he'd be looking for her first.

It was only fair that Lloyd tag along. If he were to be honest with himself, he and Chelsea had become fairly close. Despite her annoying habits of constantly checking to see if he was alright and sometimes outright babying him, Lloyd couldn't help but become attached. There were things that she did that just made him feel so special—special to her specifically, like he had been a part of club that exclusively consisted of him and her. He bet he knew stuff that Cole didn't; like she's supposed to wear glasses because one of her eyes is messed up but refuses to because she claims to look like a middle aged mother. Or that she really likes anime but is way too embarrassed to admit it to anyone. So far, he was the only one who knew. Not even her parents knew.

For the past two months, he got to be a part of his own special club with someone else. This time, he had his own person to share secrets with. And he'd like to keep it that way. It wasn't like Lloyd particularly cared that Cole had a crush on her. It was just that the idea of not having that one person that pestered him for his secrets and safety to himself bugged him. And the thought of no longer being her only safe place for her secrets was…disheartening. Many others would say otherwise, but Lloyd secretly enjoyed how she would fuss over him in a different way than compared to the others. Or if he was randomly feeling down, the way she tried to cheer him up by acting like a total goofball and praising him made him happy. If Chelsea was feeling sweet, she'd give him a kiss on the cheek and he'd submerge himself in the warmth of it. Granted, he knew it was because of his age, and that fact does tick him off from time to time, he couldn't help but get that tickly feeling in his stomach. It warmed him up and made him feel…pleasant. Either way you put it, Lloyd wanted her to himself. It wasn't in a romantic sense…but more of a _deep _platonic one. It was selfish, possessive, and it was kind of weird but it was the truth. A truth he kept to himself.

He didn't know where all this was coming from so suddenly. Maybe it was because he had grown up without a mother figure for most of his short life. She still wasn't very present in his current life. If he looked back, it made sense because he had a habit of latching onto the older women he connected to with a vice-like grip. He remembered feeling the same way about Nya when he was younger. He held a great disdain for Jay as she got closer to him but finally accepted that the blue clad ninja would always have more of her than he ever would. The same feelings sprouted with his private school guidance counselor, Ms. Gardner. But all of that ended when she suddenly turned into Mrs. Erickson. This was years back but, to this day, Lloyd couldn't stand the name _Erickson_.

_Mommy issues_, he concluded.

Back to the issue at hand, Lloyd had decided that he would go save her too. New happiness had sprouted out the dark corners of his rumbled brain and he owed it to her. He felt it was his sole duty to protect her just as she does with his secrets. There was no way Lloyd wasn't going to tag along.

Her safety was a priority to him too.

Cole clicked his tongue in defeat. "Fine, you can come with me." He wasn't happy about it, but Lloyd could accept that. He would do his best to get her away from Eltanse. "Alright team. Let's go!"

"Ninjaaaaa GOOOOO!"

* * *

_**Jasper **_

Red irises stared dully at the great scene that unfolded before them. Jasper leaned his weight on the balcony's rims, placing his chin in the palm of his hand. He watched as the people dressed in uniforms and guns raced around in a frantic. There were helicopters and cars everywhere. Many gunshots sounded the air. The Shadow Soldiers he sent out had barely done anything and yet they were all freaking out—much to his amusement. There were so many lights that it illuminated the dark night, almost washing out the stars. He stared out as if watching the calming sways of the ocean water.

"You humans make such a scene. Are red and blue supposed to mean something? They keep flashing those colors," he pondered out loud. Jasper paused, waiting for a response from the woman who was tied up behind him. He glanced at her from the side of his eyes. The woman in the sparkling purple dress sat with her hands tied behind the chair, ankles tied together. Her hair was a bit disheveled from struggling a bit before, but now all she did was hang her head down. Her emerald lied dully on her lap.

He was met with silence.

Jasper smiled nonchalantly. "Well, they are pretty colors if you get past how blinding they are. They're alarming but intriguing." He continued to watch with a light smile. The relaxed shadow general allowed his fingers to tap to the beat of a song he hummed. His visage suddenly brightened. "Oh! It seems as if your friends have appeared!"

A small gasp filtered through the ninja's lips and Jasper's smile only widened.

"Is that red and white I see? Oh, and there seems be a blue fly buzzing around," he laughed. Jasper then suddenly pouted playfully. "I don't see the ones dressed in green and black anywhere. What a pity. I was hoping to see their performances."

Chelsea looked up at him in panic. "No," she whispered.

"Ah, but there's not need to worry," he consoled. To who? No one knows. "If my thoughts are where they should be, they should be arriving any time from now. Your knight in shining black armor won't be too happy seeing you in such a state."

Jasper turned and walked over to the restrained woman. He grabbed the back of the chair and dragged her to where he was standing. In one swift movement, he spun her chair to face him. Jasper only smiled lightly as Chelsea gave him the dirtiest glare she could muster. The freezing winter winds chilled the hectic atmosphere around them, yet the grey-skinned man could only find amusement.

He flicked back the bottom of his suit to place one hand in his pocket. The other hand stayed on the top of the wooden chair. Chelsea glanced at the arm by her head and gulped. Jasper took pleasure in how she shifted uncomfortably in her position. It told him that even with the mean snarl she wore, he was in complete control. His dominance had been established and there was nothing the Grey Ninja could do about it.

There was an eerie silence between the two. Even with the constant ruckus coming from the panicking civilians, the quietness was screaming loudly over it. The suffocating silence was deafening and Jasper enjoyed it. The kunoichi was clearly overwhelmed despite her rebellious appearances.

"Stop staring at me," she grumbled.

He raised a pristine brow as she narrowed her eyes. "Stop staring back."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "It's kind of hard to do that when your face is two centimeters away from mine. Can you back up?"

In spite of himself, Jasper allowed himself to chuckle. He gave her a playfully hopeless smile. "That mouth of yours is going to land you in trouble, my dear. If I were in your position, I wouldn't be talking to my superior like that."

"Superior my ass—get out of my face Jasper."

Said man (shadow?) let out a throaty chuckle but then his face fell solemn. "May I ask a serious question?"

Chelsea blinked and then furrowed her brows. "What?"

"Don't you find it rather peculiar that you are the Master of Shadows? Well I wouldn't say _master_ because if you really were, your restraints would be as good as saran wrap, but I feel you get the idea my dear."

There was a bit of silence and that made Jasper think. This certain question had been an annoying little tick that constantly dug its fangs in the back of his mind. When he had obtained information about the ninja, he had crossed over the dark-skinned woman's profile. For more than he'd like to admit, he stood there for a few minutes with an expression of confusion. It wasn't long before he promptly took the questions that filled his rather sharp mind to the queen.

Here was an average human. She was a woman who hadn't been exposed to anything out of the ordinary in her short life. She was just a grain of salt among an endless sea of salt. If Jasper hadn't known any better, he wouldn't have ever even considered her to be someone in the least bit of relevance to their situation. This woman didn't look or even act like someone who one would be presumed to be in possession of such a dark element. The Grey Ninja was a happy person. She didn't hold any dark secrets that could've lead to anything extraordinary. There wasn't a single twisted bone in her body. Nothing about her screamed '_There's something BIG about me that no one knows!' _

So why was this mere human chosen to be the one to control and master the very element she was destined to fight? Why were they not aware such a person existed? And why had she been lead to the path of glory and righteousness while an entire realm had been cursed to the depths of an interminable hell?

When he had expressed these thoughts, the queen did nothing but stare. She later answered with ambiguous words. It was clear she herself had also thought about it, but she decided to stick with the answer that seemed best fit. _"Any element, no matter how seemingly corrupt or innocent, can be used for good or evil. No matter what it's dubbed, the topic is not black and white. There isn't an element out there that cannot cause harm or cannot be used in a positive light."_

After that response, Jasper left empty-handed.

Nevertheless he respected his queen's answer and remained satisfied for the time being. It seemed the same thing would happen with the ninja herself.

"So? What of it?"

Jasper almost made a sound of surprise as he blinked himself back to reality. Chelsea stared right at him with the same rebellious façade. He gave her a small smirk, understanding that she was also void of any answer.

"Just something to think about," he shrugged, ending the conversation lightly. Again there was silence, but before it got restraining, he heard footsteps to his delight. Jasper leaned forwards a little more and continued to do so even as Chelsea sputtered in confusion and distaste. "It seems as if your knights are approaching." He looked at her with mock regret but couldn't help the nefarious smile that spread across his perfectly sculpted lips. He moved them to the side of her cheek. "I'm truly sorry for the boorish move I am about to make."

The door to the balcony was kicked down and before anything was said, Jasper grasped the young woman's chin and forced her in place as he captured her lips with his own.

* * *

_**Yeah, it's like 3 in the morning and I'm beat so I'm gonna make this short. Thank you again for reading and see ya next chapter.**_

_**~Sylvia-Ann~**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"_I'm gonna kick your ass!"  
—King of the Hill_

* * *

Chapter 17

_**Cole **_

Cole could only wonder why everyone was suddenly trying to piss him off. First, Lloyd had been a thorn in his side, budging into his secret solo mission that wasn't so secret or solo anymore. The Black Ninja almost forgot how annoyingly persistent the blonde teen could be. Throughout their short little escapade together, the Green Ninja just would not shut up about how they'd have more of chance saving the kunoichi together. If Cole hadn't held back the temper he had, he was sure he would've shouted at him to shut up. Lloyd wasn't a fan of his yelling, especially if it was directed at him. The last time that happened, the boy had burst into tears and he dealt with an insufferable amount of guilt for a straight week.

But now, here he stood, panting from irritation, slight exhaustion, and now fury as he looked at the same man he absolutely despised, kissing—more like _biting_—the Grey Ninja.

Cole thought of himself as a pretty cool guy. Sure he had his moments where he could be unaware of social queues. There were times where he'd become a bit of a jerky-dad-like person if things were getting a bit too hectic for him. Yeah, there were little things that just ticked him off for no good reason, but he worked his hardest to be fair and just. He thought of himself as a level-headed guy for the most part. As the leader, he trained himself to remain calm in situations. But if Chelsea hadn't bitten Jasper's tongue, Cole Brookestone was 100% sure he would've summoned an earthquake, whether it was voluntary or not.

Like, come on. He just asked her out an _hour_ ago.

Jasper cursed and brought his hand to his lips, breathing heavily. He stuck his tongue out to see blood stain his unusually bright pink tongue but still managed to smirk. "Aah…a bit…a bit kinky, don't you think?"

"Y-you fucking…ha…prick," the woman panted, spitting on the ground. Chelsea leaned forward, shaking with anger. "As soon as I get out of this thing I'll tear you apart!"

Before the general could say anything, he saw a fist flying his way and effortlessly leaped away. Cole gritted his teeth and growled as Jasper gave him a showy smile. He wanted nothing more than to punch the teeth out of his mouth but there was something more important he wanted to take care of.

Cole stayed in his fighting stance but turned his head to the woman behind him. "Chelsea, are you alright? Has he done anything else to you?" He sighed in relief as she shook her head.

"No, I'm alright."

"I'm glad," he smiled. She returned the kind smile. Cole nodded and set his stone-y glare upon the shadow. "Lloyd, help her out of the bonds. I'll deal with this _prick_," ordered.

"Come and get me then, Master of Earth," Jasper said.

He didn't need to be told twice. The dark-haired ninja charged forward, pulling his fist back. He delivered the blow but found that his fist met nothing but dissipating shadows. Cole made a sound of surprise as Jasper had just disappeared in front of him. His balance was off from the momentum and he never saw the foot flying towards his jaw.

Sharp pain erupted from his back as the ninja slid across the pavement. Cole rubbed his jaw, trying to massage the ache away. He scowled as Jasper nonchalantly stood in front of him, crossing his arms. Without wasting time, the team leader stood on his feet and resumed his position. Before attacking, gallant emeralds noted the grey skin and sharp canines. Cole raised a brow and smiled wickedly. Of course he was someone sent from Eltanse. Everything made sense now.

"What's up Jasper? You've gotten a little grey since the last time I saw you."

Said man looked at his skin and acted as if he was now noticing the change. "Ah, you're right! It must be something in the air. But I like it."

Cole cracked his knuckles. "Well I hope you like black and blue too because once I'm done with you, that's all you'll be seeing."

Jasper launched himself at the ninja at startling speeds and swung his foot, aiming at his head. Cole ducked under and caught his ankle. Using the momentum he had, he flung the grey-skinned shadow away. To his displeasure, Jasper was able to steady himself and land on his feet. He brought out the sword from his sheath and brought it down. Cole quickly countered the attack, barely able to deflect it with his scythe. The two jumped back from the force before going back in.

Jasper proved to be quick and agile whiles also remaining powerful. It was hard for the Master of Earth to keep up with his movements. There were times where he had seemed to disappear only to reappear behind him, moments later. Sometimes, the shadow would completely vanish from the scene and it would really mess Cole up. Cole was not very fast. Most of his power was centered on sheer strength and skill. In addition to that, Jasper was too light on his feet so using the ground to track him was useless.

A fist connected to his stomach and Cole was sent flying. Just as Lloyd had finished untying the rope around Chelsea's ankles, he was knocked forwards. The three ungracefully tumbled back and groaned in pain as they just lied in a pile.

There was a small cough and whine from beneath the two males. "Could you guys get off me please? You're crushing my lungs," Chelsea wheezed.

Lloyd muttered an apology and got off, dusting himself. He scowled at the older man who continued to lie on top of the woman, clutching his stomach. Cole grunted as Lloyd shoved him to the side, giving him a little glare. The black-clad male raised a brow in question. "What's your problem?"

"Weren't you supposed to be dealing with the 'prick'?"

"Look, it's a work in progress. He's fast and can disappear whenever he wants. It's not easy trying to land one on him," Cole explained.

Chelsea rubbed her neck and hissed at its stiffness. "Yeah, he's the general of the Shadow Army."

Cole gave her a hopeless expression and groaned, "Well that would've been nice to know."

She rolled her eyes. "Hush you." She took her emerald off the ground and quickly changed into her ninja outfit. "Listen closely. For some reason, Jasper didn't take my emerald. It was just lying freely on my lap and he didn't even attempt to take it. In fact, he did everything he could not to touch it."

"So are you saying that he can't touch the emerald? Like, physically can't?" Lloyd suggested.

"But why are Jasper and Eltanse looking for the emeralds if they can't even touch it?" Cole said.

"I don't know," Chelsea said.

The three were snapped out of their thoughts as the Shadow General walked to them. Jasper yawned. "This fight is boring me. Why don't I invite a few friends?" With a flick of his wrist, a small army of Shadow Soldiers manifested behind him. The ugly beasts panted and slobbered, growling with anticipation. Jasper said something the trio couldn't understand. The words were foreign, neither the ancient Ninjagian language nor English.

"_Ceal virywn buot zeh bleac nngji._"

The soldiers attacked in a stampede and the ninja worked to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Cole couldn't help but ponder on why Jasper hadn't taken Chelsea's emerald. If what she was saying was true, then a lot of things weren't adding up. Why was Eltanse going through such great lengths to get the emeralds if there was a chance she couldn't touch them? And why was it that she and the other shadows couldn't touch them? What exactly would happen if they were to touch the emeralds? All these questions floated around his head and somehow he had managed to evade the ruthless attacks of the soldiers. But he was too deep in his thoughts to see Jasper jump up and hurtle towards him.

Cole grunted as he was pushed back out of the crowd. His head banged against the hard wall of the large rooftop and he tried to blink away the blurriness in his vision. Despite the headache, he got on his feet only to be knocked down again. Again, he tried to get up, but a foot connected to the side of his body. This happened a few more times until he was left panting on the ground, spitting the blood accumulating in his mouth. He was sure there were nasty bruises on his sides and if he hadn't known any better, his jaw might've locked a few times. The Black Ninja growled in irritation. He knew Jasper was singling him out and doing this to him, but the fact that he couldn't even see the man made him annoyed.

"H-hey," he coughed. "Instead of fighting like a coward, why don't you show—"

Suddenly, a cold grey hand wrapped around his neck. Cole gritted his teeth harshly and scratched at the hand. He felt his throat begin to close, his lungs restricted from the oxygen. His feet were lifted from the ground, adding to his suffocation. Hard emeralds stared down at the faceless face. The face before him hadn't fully materialized yet. All he could see were blood red eyes and sickly sharp teeth stretched in an overly wide smile within a cloud of pitch black smoke. He looked like someone from a horror movie. It made him sick to his stomach.

"You're pathetic," Jasper laughed when he had finally gone back to his original form. "You and all of your little friends make me laugh. Just look at them."

Cole looked at the two who fought the soldiers that seemed to keep coming. Once one was taken down, three more took its place. It wasn't hard to tell the two were overwhelmed. The monsters attacked without mercy, piling up on one opponent whenever they found the chance. Cole could only watch in horror as Lloyd was ambushed. He was pushed on the ground, his sword in the snapping jaws of the Shadow Soldier. The blonde teen grunted, trying to push it back, but two more piled on him, lashing out with their claws. Chelsea managed to kick one off of her and aimed her arrow. With a single shot, she took out two of them and Lloyd was able to kick the other one off and stab his sword through it. But everything took a turn for the worst as Chelsea was caught off guard. The black beast jumped on her, bringing her flat to the ground. Her bow and arrow fell out of her hands. It suddenly seemed to gain a brain and held her neck down, face flat to the ground. Cole felt his entire body freeze as the soldier lifted its talons and tear the skin of her back open. A blood curdling scream filled the air and only continued as it sunk its teeth into her shoulder.

"No…" Cole shook his head. "Stop it."

"Chelsea!" Lloyd shouted. Blue eyes darkened considerably. Lloyd filled his hands with green energy. The ball of power was greater than his body and filled with so much energy that it wiped out most of the army. The green light filtered out and the Green Ninja panted, out of breath. He shook his head and ran to the writhing kunoichi, tears in his eyes. His fingers were trembling. He didn't know if he should touch her, worried that he'd cause the sobbing woman more pain. Lloyd tried to ignore her gasps of agony as he lifted her head onto his lap. He cradled her head and met wide green eyes.

"C-Cole, help! H-help us!" he begged. Lloyd gasped as more soldiers appeared. He was forced to leave the wounded ninja and stand up to them.

Cole knew it was only a matter of time before Lloyd became overwhelmed. He was already tired due to using so much energy in one attack. If he didn't get out there one of his team members would die soon and Cole wouldn't know what he'd do if that happ—no. He wouldn't allow that to happen. He had just obtained his emerald. Taking the black emerald in his hand, he squeezed it trying to channel all his energy into the jewel. Nothing happened though. How did this work again? What was he supposed to do? Was there a special way to activate this thing? How was he supposed to—

The panicking team leader's thoughts were interrupted when an amused voice broke through the air. "Oh, and we must not forget about all the brave souls you dauntlessly sent out there." Cole was carelessly dropped. He coughed raggedly and didn't have time to recoup before he was shoved onto his feet. A hiss was pushed past his teeth as his hands were roughly held behind his back.

From below there were sounds of screaming, blaring horns, desperate shouts, and frenzied thoughts. There were lights flashing all over the place, blinding the eye. Countless amounts of bullets were shot and the repeating sounds of finished ammo sounded the air. Men and women of the army and police force were desperately fighting to keep the Shadow Army at bay, protecting the people with their lives. Many were killed—some quickly and some mercilessly. The samurai suit was completely demolished. The mechanism was tarnished to the point where it was hardly anything but a pile of pieces. It was so selfish of him, but Cole quickly looked for his team. In a sea of black, green, and white he was able to find the ninja and samurai but his heart dropped at their condition.

It wasn't hard to tell they were at their peak. Exhaustion drenched off each and every one of the ninja and samurai. Bloodied and bruised, they continued to fight but it was all too much. Kai and Jay looked the roughest. The red-clad ninja nursed a bloody arm and a black eye. Jay's left pants leg had been torn off and there were claw marks running up his leg. His cheek was swollen and blood trickled down his nose. Half of Zane's face had been clawed off and so was the skin on his right forearm. Some of the wires were sticking out and it was disturbing to see the contrast between metal and synthetic flesh. But despite the noticeable shudders in his body's function, the White Ninja fought on. Somehow, most of Nya's armor had been bitten straight off, leaving her exposed. Multiple bruises and scrapes littered her body and she was panting harshly. She had been stationed to catch any soldiers that came very close to the entrance and it proved to be a tasking job.

All of this was happening. His team was getting ripped to pieces. The people of Ninjago were fighting something they hadn't been trained to face. People were hurting. People were _dying. _And here he was, pathetically trapped in a hold he should be able to get out of.

"Hmm, look at that. All these people are dying because you and your little friends were too weak to save them," Jasper said and mockingly sad voice.

Cole struggled in his grasp. "Get off me you bastard!"

Jasper sunk his fingers in his scalp and pulled his hair back. Cole hissed in pain. "Are you still thinking about yourself, after seeing everything? Are you more worried about your predicament rather than those of your friends? Or better yet, the people of Ninjago?" he asked incredulously. "I mean look at them. All of them. They're like pigs in a slaughter house. I didn't even send out that many. Maybe like a hundred or so. This is just sad to watch."

_Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit_

"But I guess humans can't help falling for whatever chance of hope they get, even if it is false. I shouldn't blame them because it's not their fault." Jasper suddenly smiled and Cole felt himself shudder. The shadow's lips came closer to his ear and he whispered, "It's all yours."

_Nonononono. It couldn't. It just couldn't be because…because it just can't! If only this damn emerald would start working._

"Shut up you red-eyed devil—"

"I bet they all thought, 'Oh look! The ninja are here! We're saved!' But oh no, that wasn't the case was it? Nope. After such hope they are only met with their demise."

_Iwishhe'djustshutup._

"And your team. Oh, your poor team. They all look so defeated, so dejected. Poor unfortunate souls—so sad, so blue." Jasper laughed at his own little joke. "After their leader had so bravely and quite stupidly sent them out to battle whiles he became selfish and went back to rescue his dear love…oh! the betrayal. And what is this?" he gasped. "He took along a boy who doesn't look a day past 16. Don't tell me you planned to risk this boy's life all because you wanted to be the hero and save your precious little doll? How selfish. How deceiving!"

_No! It was Lloyd's choice. He came on his own. It was all his—no wait. Why would he ever think that? Lloyd was his responsibility and he was supposed to protect him. All of them…so it is his fau—NO! That's what he wants him to think. Gah—he couldn't take much more of this. His head was hurting. His heart was aching. He'd be damned if he started crying, but…but this was all too much. _

Cole let out a roar of frustration and tore his head away from the hand. He glared menacingly at those bloody eyes. "Instead of filling my head with all this crap, why don't you just fight me!? Let me go!"

The near-broken man was turned in his spot, facing the grey-skinned general. He felt something cold and airy tie around his wrists, torso, and legs. Cole looked down to see black shadows constrict him. Jasper crossed his arms and gave him a polite smile.

"Well, to answer your question, I've been thinking and I presume I do owe you a bit. Your father selflessly took me in seeing as my 'partner' had been in an unfortunate accident. So, to repay the debt, I'm keeping you alive to let you in on a little secret." Jasper cupped his mouth and whispered. "You and your friends are all going to die…unless you submit to me and that anger towards me and give me your emerald and I can make this all stop like that."

Jasper snapped his fingers and every Shadow Soldier halted in their places. It was sudden and executed without complaint. Even as some had been struck down, they all stood rigidly. Cole watched as Lloyd dropped to the ground in exhaustion and curled around the dark-skinned woman who was barely conscious. He heard the battlefield below almost go silent, quiet mutters of confusion and wariness sprinkle the air.

_Submit?_

The cold winter wind was howling in their ears but the sound of decision was clear. Jasper smirked as Cole seemed to stop fighting, his head lowering in defeat. "You said submit to my anger?"

"Yes, submit. Don't be afraid to feel it. Once you do, everything will disappear. No one else will die tonight."

_Ooooh _

Cole nodded. "Jasper, take my emerald," he said. The ebony jewel was presented in his hand, sitting there without any color. Jasper smiled widely and made a sound of approval.

"I always knew you had—"

A loud curse filtered through the grey man as he held his cinched hand to his body.

_I get it now_.

The emerald fell to the ground and glowed with a bright aura. Jasper scowled harshly as the bonds on Cole's body hissed away from him. The black-clad ninja lifted his head and revealed glowing green eyes. "I understand now, Jasper. Thanks." He walked forwards, picking up the jewel.

"Damn you ninja."

A bright golden glow enveloped the ninja and it blinded everyone within 50 miles. He rose in the air for all to see his transformation. Pitch black chest plates with gold rims covered the black sleeveless shirt that showed off his strong arms. Strong sets of gold shoulder plates lied on his shoulders and covered his neck. On his legs were baggy black pants, leg wrapping on his shins. Gold cuffs strapped around his forearms and fingerless gloves covered his hands. His black belt was securely wrapped around his waist. Characters beautifully written in Japanese spelled out 'Earth' across his chest. In his right hand Cole held a scythe, but this scythe was nothing like anyone had ever seen. It was massive and looked quite heavy, but he held it like it was a pen. The dagger at the tip was painted with sleek black. Its curved ended in a deadly point warning all who came close to stay away. The golden heat that surrounded his figure held power like none other. Those who caught sight of the beautiful glow found comfort immediately.

Cole pointed his scythe at the Shadow Army General.

"Jasper, remember when you told me to enlighten you?" he smirked.

Without so much as a glance, the scythe had swung through every soldier on the rooftop in one clean swipe. They all fell to the ground, evaporating into the air. Cole didn't know if Jasper had just been caught off guard, but the grey man hadn't seen the fist coming for his cheek. The shadow general was sent back, flying through the building and into the next one. Jasper growled and disappeared before reappearing. Cole dodged the kick and countered with one of his own. Jasper flew away from it and took his sword out. Their weapons clicked loudly. It was hard for the untrained eye to keep up with their movements. They sped through the air, dodging, sliding, and flipping away from an attack.

From the ground, many of the people started to cheer. Kai whistled loudly. Jay and Nya high fived each other. Zane smiled proudly at his brother-in-arms. "Let's finish this!" Kai shouted and received shouts for glory. Their heavy hearts became light again with hope and now fought the remaining Shadow Soldiers with rejuvenating vigor.

In the midst of the fight, when Jasper was left massaging his aching jaw, he refrained from his fighting position. The man with red eyes narrowed his eyes, giving the transformed ninja a calculating stare. Cole only stared back, silently telling him he wouldn't back down. Suddenly, Jasper smirked.

"It appears I have lost this round, Black Ninja." He turned around and placed his weapon back into his sheath. "Congratulations on your win. Expect my return." And with that, he simply vanished leaving his army.

Instead of chasing after him, Cole nodded. He looked down and knew he had to help the others. In a flash, he floated above the mass and held his scythe. With a massive amount of power, he slammed the weapon into the ground and the crack quickly traveled to the army. That same crack surrounded the savage beasts, creating a perfect circle before the ground crumbled beneath them. The soldiers screamed out as they were swallowed into the ground. The pavement closed over the hole and gold lights filled the cracks, magically gluing it back together. The ground looked undisturbed in the end.

The remaining soldiers were dealt with easily and soon enough, they were left to evaporate into the air.

It was all quiet before the sound cheers and cries of happiness filled the heavy air. Cole lowered himself to the ground and blinked as he was attacked with hugs. He then allowed himself to smile when he realized it was his team. He wrapped his arms around them and briefly enjoyed their warmth.

"You did it man!" Kai praised.

"I've never been more happy to see you, you big hunk of rock," Jay exclaimed with tears in his eyes.

Zane nodded in agreement and put a hand on Cole's shoulder. His smile dropped when he couldn't sense the presence of two others. "I'm glad everything is over, but where are Lloyd and Chelsea?"

Cole gasped, startling the others off him. Before anything could happen, he disappeared in a flash of light and found himself on the rooftop. Cole saw the two and ran over to them, lowering himself to the ground.

Lloyd's eyes were wide and his face was stained with tears. There were multiple bruises and cuts on his arms but he seemed to be essentially okay. Young sapphires suddenly narrowed as tears flooded his eyes, desperately trying to hold them back. He looked down at the older woman in his arms and leaned into Cole's caring embrace.

"I-it's really bad," he sniffed referring to her wounds.

There was blood everywhere. The grey and white in her outfit was now blackened with fresh and dry blood. Cole nodded and lifted the Grey Ninja into his arms. She was harshly panting, still very much in pain. He cupped her cheek and leaned forwards, trying to get her to show him she was still alright. To his glee, her eyes fluttered open but stayed squinted.

Chelsea gulped painfully. "You're really bright," she hoarsely whispered.

Cole sighed in relief and Lloyd held his hand to his heart. The black-clad man transported them back to the ground where ambulances came in dozens. Lloyd was taken to get checked out with Kai and Nya having to force him away from the other two. Cole carried the woman to an ambulance truck and after showing them her back and shoulder she was immediately taken in and strapped to the gurney.

Before she was strolled into the truck, she shook her head. "W-wait," she managed to get out.

"Ma'am, we need to get you to the hospital before your wounds become infected," a male nurse spoke hurriedly.

"Where's Cole?" she spoke, ignoring him.

The Black Ninja jumped his way to her, ignoring the protests from the nurses. He grabbed one of her hands and gave her a worried look. Chelsea waved him closer so he leaned in. He was caught by surprise as she took his head and pulled his lips to hers. Cole froze and felt his power finally wear off, the emerald clinking on the ground. Inside his head stormed a plethora of thoughts but he could do nothing but stare in shock. Chelsea finally gave out and dropped backwards, a nurse caught her before she hurt her back even more. She was wheeled in and the ambulance took off.

So there Cole was, standing in the middle of a frenzying crowd, staring at the fading truck dumbly. His shoulder was tapped but he didn't notice. A lazy, wide, smile stretched across his lips and he tiredly chuckled. The feeling of exhaustion and achiness caught up to him and the last thing he remembered was the increasing darkness and the sound of Zane's voice.

* * *

_**And for the first time in foreveeeeeeerrr...Syliva was able to spit out a chapter in a week.**_

_**So, what about that update y'all. **_

_**I had too much fun writing this chapter. And look at lil Lloyd throwing a lil tantrum in the face of death. Can't you just imagine him pushing Cole away with that adorable pout awww my baby.**_

_**Okay, anyway, I'm stoked about this story moving on. I'm one of those writers that writes on a whim. I have the basic plot down but how I execute it is decided as I write. Not the best way to write, but I'm not a professional so who cares? I don't. It makes me excited to see what happens next. **_

_**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! **_

_**You guys rock!**_

_**Sylvia-Ann~ **_


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners.**

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_"__If you're going through hell, keep going."_

—Winston Churchill

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Chapter 18

**_Jasper _**

Damn those ninja.

If it weren't for their ridiculously strong wills, he would've won. If it weren't for that stupid Black Ninja who was a lot more perceptive than he looked, he would've been the victorious one. If it weren't for that stupid emerald, he wouldn't have this ridiculous burn on his hand—which hurt like _hell_ by the way.

Transporting back to the Shadow Realm was a lot harder than it was supposed to be, no thanks to the ninja. Although Jasper hated to admit it, he was winded and exhausted. As he lied on the bed with elegant soft sheets and silky thread, he ached. He ached all over. Usually, when he was having a bad day, the young-looking man would busy himself with creating something. Having power over shadows made a good distraction. Granted, nothing lasted long without some sort of eternal source, but it passed the time.

But he just didn't feel like doing anything right now.

The blow to his ego had turned his mood sour. It had been a long time since Jasper had been beaten at anything. The last time he surrendered was during a training session with the queen herself, and that was eons ago. Also, he wasn't really strung up about that. Queen Eltanse was the ruler of this dimension for a reason.

But to be beaten by some regular mortal who just happened to be a part of an elemental bloodline was just embarrassing, especially when he thought he was so close to winning. Jasper rolled onto his back and cursed. If the queen were to hear about this, she'd have his head. He had snuck out of the realm without permission and perused the black emerald without her acceptance, even though she clearly told him not to. The act was stupid and rebellious. Instead of acting like a dumb teenager, he should've put away his arrogance and communicated his ideas to her. He knew she would listen to him. Jasper was one of the only shadows with a brain in here. There were a few others, but their free will didn't extend past his. Jasper was solely created to be second-in-command and to be a companion. He was the only person (thing?) here that was close to the queen. She had taught him everything he knew. Everything he thought, everything he said, was a mimic of her. The strong general greatly admired the female deity in every aspect. He held her to the highest respect possible, and in return she held great expectations from him.

But here he was, exhausted, embarrassed, and most of all…beaten.

Jasper sighed.

He didn't need sleep, but he felt like sleeping. Maybe if he just closed his eyes for a minute, he'd wake up and all these bad feelings would go away. Nodding internally, the grey-skinned man turned back onto his side and let out a heavy breath. He almost smiled as he felt the heavy weight of failure silently float off his—

A knock sounded from his door and then a gruff voice. "The queen requests for you."

_Shit._

He was dead.

Having to channel all his will power into his aching limbs, Jasper climbed himself off the bed. When he opened the door, the hallway was empty. Whoever delivered the message had scurried away before he could face them, probably afraid he'd kill them in a fit of rage. He didn't exactly make a kind return home.

Trudging to the queen's room, Jasper could only sigh and swallow the foreboding sense of dread filling his stomach. He was standing behind the door but he could _feel_ her anger. Mentally preparing himself, the man opened the door, head held high to look confident. It was more for himself than for show.

The room was empty. There were no servants, guards, or anything. All that accompanied the room was the blood red carpets and curtain, the glassy black tile, and the sleek black encrusted throne that held a very pissed off looking queen. Queen Eltanse stared down at him with those yellow eyes. They radiated with anger, disappointment, and a bit of bafflement. Her arms were tightly crossed along with her legs. If Jasper wasn't so exhausted and frightened, he would've joked that she looked like a mother who had heard her son just got a girl pregnant.

But he wasn't trying to get his head cut off at the moment.

The silence spoke volumes. It told him if he were to continue on past this point, his life was never to be guaranteed. Enter at your own risk. And despite wanting to just turn away and run out of there, he made himself walk towards the tall black chair that manifested before the queen. Jasper quietly sat in the chair, face strong and stoic. He looked up, dull rubies meeting electrifying fair eyes. They were a few feet away from each other and just staring. For the untrained eye, it was hard to tell that the queen's skin was really grey. It just looked really white against the dark clothing and dark atmosphere.

A few more moments passed by and Jasper thought copying her position would lighten up the tension.

It didn't.

Queen Eltanse was not amused. She raised a thick black brow before frowning deeply.

"What color would you like your tomb to be?" she said.

Jasper sighed again. He'd been doing a lot of that lately. "I apologize for sneaking out and attacking the ninja, my queen. It was all for good reason."

She frowned even more. She frowned so much that her flawless skin was starting to wrinkle. "I have told you many times to not make a move until I say so."

"I know," he nodded.

"Yet you still found it acceptable to disobey my orders. You thought it was okay to try and sneak under my nose and obtain the emerald. You didn't even try and reclaim yourself afterwards. You just slipped into your room without a peep."

He nodded again.

Her eyes landed on his singed hand and he cursed in his head.

"And in addition, you were beaten. You couldn't retrieve the emerald. You foolishly tried taking it away. Now they know we can't touch the emeralds unless they are neutral or infiltrated with negative energy. I already have a plan in store and you might have jeopardized it."

Saying it out loud was a lot more embarrassing than saying it in his head. Jasper also didn't like how calm and steady her voice was.

"My sincerest apologies my—"

Jasper's eyes snapped open and blood red jewels shined with alarm. There was something tearing through the insides of his stomach, ripping through his organs, and crawling into his neck. He grunted in pain and fell on his hands and knees. The pain was awful. It was worse than anything he could describe. It was like a thousand leeches with fangs twice their size were dancing inside of him. There was nothing around his neck, but he was choking. His air supply was cut off and he could do nothing but wheeze and sputter pathetically. Jasper scratched at his neck with one hand and clawed at the ground with the other. His eyes began to cloud with tears from the sheer agony.

"You've gotten comfortable. Perhaps you've forgotten that I could end your puny life in a matter of seconds, Jasper." She was walking towards him. The clinking of her heels was probably loud but he couldn't hear it over the sound of his choking.

"I-I'm…s-sor—icck," he couldn't finish.

The Shadow Queen looked down at his writhing form with a hard glare before clicking her tongue in irritation.

Just as Jasper was about to start screaming, it all stopped. The leeches died. The rope around his neck was cut off. Relief filled his being and he hunched over, gasping for the sweet air to fill his lungs. The army general clutched his chest and shuddered. He was shaking but refused to drop flat to the ground. He didn't want to show weakness.

Queen Eltanse knelt down. Jasper felt her finger lift his chin, her thumb wiping away the beads of sweat that drooled down his cheek. Her sharp features were sharper up close and it should've scared him. But there was something about her eyes that made him feel a little bit at ease even though she had put him through the worst pain possible. She was still a bit blurry in his vision, but he could see her raise a speculating brow before sighing hopelessly. Jasper blinked in order to clear his vision and couldn't help but feel his chest tighten once again. It wasn't because of pain…well, physical pain. But it was because of the defeated visage the queen had suddenly adopted. As she met his gaze, Jasper realized how tired she was. The queen cared a lot about him then she let on and it was wrong of him to make her do this to him. It was wrong for him to stress her out even more when she already had so much on her plate.

Jasper clenched his teeth and bowed his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

He felt her long fingers softly graze through his hair.

"I know."

* * *

**_Zane _**

Recoup, regroup, and relax.

That's what Sensei Wu always told them after a taxing battle. But lately, it seemed all they could do was recoup, regroup, and regret. Unfortunately, being protectors of the planet, there was no time for that. Duty called and training mustn't stop.

Sensei Wu allowed them to rest and recover for a week's time. The quiet nindroid could tell their elder was beginning to feel the weight of his students' journey. He wanted his students to have more time to rest their mental states, but, again, time was against them. Wu's cloudy pools of grey stormed with reluctance, but he pushed on and meditated upon his troubles.

As for the team, they bounced back with no issues. Despite the pain caused by the Shadow Soldiers, they looked ahead and continued forward. That was one thing Zane would always love about his friends. Being a ninja was no easy task. It came with weight that could crush the strongest will. But in the darkest times, they were able to walk with confidence.

On a late Saturday afternoon, the team had arrived back from a large service for the attack in Hiyama City. The casualties were great. 25 men and women died, some on sight, others from injuries. More than 50 people were injured but were eventually okay.

During the service, the caskets of those who died were lined up. A picture of each person was framed beautifully in front. Men and women of the army stood tall and proud by the sidelines, and saluted their late neighbors. The ninja, samurai, and Sensei Wu had been reserved spots up in front despite some of their protests. Families went up to speak their poems and elegies. As anyone could imagine, some couldn't finish, completely breaking down in tears. Others had finished but could barely walk back. It had been particularly hard to keep composure when a small boy, who couldn't have been a day past nine, went up to talk about his mother. He didn't fully understand what had happened to his mother, but the few words he spoke was enough to make the audience bow their heads in complete distraught. Kai left the room for a bit too find his composure. Lloyd shed a few tears whiles Jay, Nya, and Chelsea cried. Zane, Cole, and Sensei Wu hadn't cried but their eyes were dark. After a moment of silence the late, Cole went up to deliver the ending speech, doing all within his power to leave the people with a glimmer of hope. The team stood up and bowed, paying their respects before the service ended.

One by one, they filed into the monastery. There was silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable just mutual.

"The worst part about being a ninja is how many funerals you have to attend during your lifetime," Kai sighed tiredly, rubbing his red-rimmed eyes.

Lloyd nodded. "It's the hardest part too," he said before lying his head down on his brother's shoulder.

"Although I wish innocent deaths hadn't occurred, their sacrifice encourages us to rid the world of evil and keep peace. Their deaths were not in vain," Zane said softly.

Nya passed by and messed with the young blonde boy's hair. The young samurai hated it when he looked so exhausted. "Hey Lloyd, let's go wash up and get ready for dinner. I'll help you cook today." Lloyd nodded and left the room with her. Soon, Jay and Kai quietly went off to their rooms to strip themselves of their all black clothing.

Cole patted Chelsea's shoulder. "Hey, you alright?" She nodded and waved him off. The Black Ninja gave her an encouraging smile. "Let's go see how your back is doing." When she had come back from the hospital, her emerald sped up the healing process but didn't heal it completely for some reason. The scratches were still opened but much better. She just needed to put cream on it and redo her dressings every six hours.

Zane decided he would take the time to set the table. There was no use in just standing around. The Polish ninja took his top coat off and hung it neatly in the nearby closet. He headed towards the kitchen and took out the appropriate plates and eating utensils. Setting the table had always been something the blonde nindroid enjoyed. It was a peculiar hobby according to his friends, but he found it soothing. There was something calming and relaxing about seeing the end result. All the plates would have the same measurement of space between them. All utensils were distanced the same way. It was just aesthetically pleasing and Zane was all for being aesthetically pleased.

It was weird but, then again, Zane was too.

The White Ninja was in such a deep trance that when the phone rang, he jumped. Zane placed a hand over his prosthetic heart and shook his head, silently berating himself for being so silly. He calmed himself and took pleasant strides over to the phone. It had been awhile since anyone contacted the ninja through the home phone, usually because very few had it.

Holding the cordless phone to his ear, Zane politely greeted, "Hello, this is Zane Julien speaking. Who may I have the pleasure of speaking to?"

Lloyd and Nya went into the kitchen in their casual attire and began to prepare the meals. Whiles Nya took out the pans, Lloyd turned to Zane and scrunched his brows together in question. "Who is it?" he whispered.

A familiar and pleasant voice spoke through the phone.

_"__Hello Zane. This is Misako."_

The blue-eyed man mouthed back, 'Your mother,' before speaking to the archaeologist. "Good afternoon Misako. How are you and Sensei Garmadon?" he asked. They had moved into their own dojo near the southern borders of Ninjago not too long ago.

_"__We're both good, thank you. Is Wu there?"_

Her voice suddenly seemed a bit rushed. He shook his head even though she couldn't see it. "He's currently meditating, but I'd be happy to take a message. Is everything alright?"

There was a short pause and a bit of muffles. Lloyd and Nya gravitated towards the White Ninja, concerned about his slight scowl.

_"__Are the others there too?"_

"Just Nya and Lloyd."

_"__That'll have to do. Put me on speaker phone please so they can hear also."_

Doing as he was told, he increased the phone's range of volume. Zane placed the phone down on the dining table.

"Hey mom, what's up?" Lloyd asked worriedly.

_"__Hello sweetie. Everything's fine but your father and I believe we've located something you guys have been looking for. Your uncle kind of filled us in on what's been happening and gave us an emerald tracker to keep a lookout for an emerald and we think there's one around us."_

"We'll be there as soon as possible," Nya said.

This time Garmadon spoke, and quite irritant. _"Yeah, make that ASAP. Please. Its power is giving me a damn headache. I feel like someone hit me with a bat."_

The three laughed while Misako scolded her husband for his language. Lloyd shook his head at his parents' antics. "Thanks guys. We'll get there in about a week. For now, just keep up on its location. If anything happens, call us."

_"__Alright. We'll see you soon. Oh and Lloyd?"_

"Yeah?"

_"__Are you eating your vegetables? I hope you're eating your vegetables. Your uncle told me you aren't. You need them to grow big and strong. If I'm ever going to have grandchildren you're going to have to be—"_

"_Mom_, we'll talk about this later." A crimson hue took over the young ninja's face as he heard his father snicker. "Goodbye," he seethed before clicking the end button and slamming the phone back in its place. Lloyd sent a glare to the two older ones who laughed under their breaths. He sighed hopelessly and trudged back to the kitchen.

* * *

**_Sensei Wu_**

Sometimes Wu really didn't feel like meditating. At times, he couldn't find it in himself to just sit, watch, and listen, hoping for something to happen. Restlessness would grip at his legs, urging those old bones to get up and start moving so another hip dislocation could be avoided. Other times, he'd dread what the world's spirits around him would bring to his eyes.

That was one of those times.

These past weeks had been draining. It had drained both his energy and spirit. Sometimes, he couldn't look at his pupils without feeling a prick of guilt. Looking at such bright young faces filled with misery and melancholy pulled the strings of his old heart. He knew they understood the magnitude of what it was to be a hero. Death and destruction would always be a part of their lives as would happiness and victory. But when the contract was suddenly slapped in their faces every other week, he feared his students would become tired of it and something drastic would change.

Whenever he had the time, Wu would meditate. If it was only for two minutes or two hours, he'd concentrate on the darkness of his eyelids. There was bad energy and it was accumulating over the past weeks—and it wasn't just Eltanse. There was something else. Something disturbingly close yet so far away. Wu had been on edge and was trying to figure out why. He had tried to ponder upon his situation, but it always brought him a headache.

How could he figure out what was going on, if the feeling he was feeling was indescribable? It was too dire to be sad, but too light to be depression. It was too heavy to be happiness but to sad to be anger. The rock upon his chest was uncomfortable but at the same time just fine. He didn't want it off because it kept him stationed, but at the same time it was suffocating him. What was this alien of a feeling?

The black light behind his eyelids was never a trigger for visions. In fact, that was always an old folks-tale told by fake fortune tellers. Wu had once been making a smoothie his nephew had recommended and had a vision. But, before visions started, there was always darkness. It was the backdrop to the beginning of the movie. It introduced what was to become and stayed until the closing end-titles.

The darkness was never something he thought about often, contrary to popular belief. Wu had too much going on to focus on something that could change sides at the speed of sound. It was an arbitrary thing. It didn't choose sides. It was its single thing and it lived wherever and however it chose. Some people feared the darkness. Wu Garmadon was too old to fear something as trivial as the dark. He knew the thing itself would never harm him. It never chose to do harm or good. It was just there. But instead, he feared of what people could do with it—what could be formed from within it.

It had been an hour into his meditation and Wu had only seen the blackness of the dark. It was eerie. It wasn't scary. It was just plain, old, black, darkness. Somehow, he knew this kind of darkness wasn't the kind of darkness behind his eyelids. Neither was it the kind sleep brought. He was awake, he could tell that much.

Years upon years of mental training had lead him to believe he was silently being told to search within this dark space. So, he did. And for at least another thirty minutes, his mind was put to the test. There was nothing. The absence of something. It was emptier than the inside of an 'O'. It was just an interminable abyss. He had searched so deep into this space that the black was no longer black. The color had been drained and replaced with nothing. Wu had reached this point many times in his meditations. He was past the forefront of his mind and deeply past his thoughts. All he saw was the vast majority of nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Then something.

There was a small black ambiguous shape. Its color was deep yet distinguishable against the backdrop of nothingness. The top-half of the figure moved up and down. It seemed to be struggling, squirming to start moving. Suddenly, it began to thrash around. The gurgling sounds got louder and louder until they sounded inhuman and ferocious. Growls and screams left from it as it convulsed upon the ground.

Just before Wu could pull his hair, the sounds stopped. Movement stopped. Time stopped. Everything stopped. Then, a ring of light slowly draped over the figure. A space at the top opened and somehow, Wu knew that was its mouth. With complete shock and utter bewilderment, the old master watched as an off-white substance crawled out of the figure's opening. It took only seconds before the small blob was in the arms of the figure. There was a feeling of warmth that wrapped around Wu's heart at the scene. The feeling he felt could only be described as maternal.

The smile stretched across his lips lasted for a few seconds before he felt every hair upon his body stand. The sound of ghastly, wounded, cry blasted through the air. It was a bone-chilling sound that could churn the strongest of souls. For what seemed like hours, the haunting cry continued to emit from the figure and Wu couldn't understand why until he realized there were bright strings wrapping around the figure, pulling away from its arms. The off-white substance was pulled away and the next few moments happened too quickly.

The dark figure grew into a ferocious beast, wildly chasing after its stolen child. It tore past all defenses without hesitation and finally leaped for the last attack. The beast missed and lied on the ground, whining and groaning pitifully. It wasn't until the off white figure had suddenly grown into the same ugly beast before knocking off its restraints and lying beside it.

Two beads formed within each of the beasts' head and its eyelids snapped open to reveal stony cold grey irises. They looked at each other and the off-white one began to growl whiles the bigger beast seemed to be pleading with it. This played on for some time before its jaws snapped upon the darker one's neck. Wu expected for the black figure to do something for it was bigger and more powerful, but instead, it gave one last melancholy cry before allowing itself to die.

The remaining figure absorbed the other and was left alone. Its color darkened and it shrunk to the size of an average man. Even though its shape wasn't clear, its grey eyes were still in its head. They were filled with distraught and loneliness. Wu couldn't tell how long it just stayed like that. And he couldn't ever describe the impact it had on him as its eyes landed on his own, barring into his very soul and tearing down any defense he had.

Wu's eyes snapped open and he felt as if all the air had been swiped from his lungs. He caught himself before he could fall over from his sitting position. Slowly, he allowed his hands to lower his body onto the floor. For a couple moments, the old man looked up at the ceiling and took big, deep, shuddery breathes. His ears felt clogged, and his eyes were glossed over. The air around him didn't feel real. The coldness of the floor boards felt synthetic and unnaturally hard. His head was hurting, but he really couldn't care at the moment.

The magnitude of the vision hit him, and he was having trouble coming to terms with it. He knew of what it meant, and he cursed himself for it. It was too painful to bear, but Wu knew he couldn't avoid it even if he wanted to.

Someone was to die. It would be a long, hard, and painful death. It'd silence the smiles and bring forth a pain they'd have to bear for the rest of eternity. Never would this person show their face for it would forever be just an unbearable enigma. It was a horrible way to pass and the worst part of it was that they'd stay alive through it all.

* * *

_**A/N: I'm not even going to try and explain why I took forever but thank the Almighty Lord it's summer. The next chapter is already being written. Thank you guys for keeping up with me. I love you and I hope you're having a fabulous summer!**_

_**Sylvia-Ann~**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners**

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"_We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in all the world—the company of those who have known suffering."_

—Helen Keller

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Chapter 19

_**Jay **_

_The Bounty's _check-up was long overdue. In fact, the last time Jay had even taken a glance at its inner mechanics was a little bit before the Grey Ninja had taken an appearance. And that was months ago. So, since nothing special was happening at the moment, the blue-clad hero decided it would be a good time to examine the large ship.

Time had passed, and Jay was thoroughly covered in greasy silt and oil stains. There were tiny dust bunnies hopping around in his auburn hair that seemed to be the only thing fixed in its rightful place. Pulling back, Jay wiped his forehead of sweat and dropped the wrench in his hand for a bit. He sighed and patted the excess dust on the thick grey gloves he wore. He looked down at himself and grimaced. Thankfully, he was wearing an old t-shirt and some sweatpants, but it still didn't take away from the horrible amount of dirt on him. The smell wasn't all that pleasant either.

"Geez, I really neglected ya, didn't I girl?" he said, sighing even more. Jay stretched his back, grunting at the multiple cracks traveling up his spine. "I'm not even half-way done and it's already…"

He looked down at his wrist and felt a little stupid when he realized he wasn't wearing a watch.

There was a creek from the back door. Blue sapphires peered over at the sound and saw a black bob swing out to the side. "Aren't you tired Jay? You've been working on _The Bounty_ since nine and it's almost noon. At this rate, you'll miss lunch." Baby pink lips curved into a small smile. "And you tend to get a little grumpy when you're hungry."

Jay snorted. "Then I guess I'm staying hungry because it's Cole's turn to cook today," he half-joked.

They shared a little laugh and Nya let herself in. She kneeled down beside him and took in his messy appearance. "You've obviously been working hard," she noted.

"Yeah, I've really fallen behind on the ship. It looks wrecked inside of there."

"Well we've been so busy with the emeralds and everything. The last thing on your mind would be whether or not the ship needs another oil change," she countered.

The Lightning Ninja gave her a little shrug. "I guess so."

A moment of silence passed between the two. It was neither uncomfortable nor comfortable. It was floating silence. Present but at the same time nonexistent. It was unusual for him, but he had nothing to say. His mind was strangely vacant and empty of words. So, as he was just about to resume his work, the dark-haired woman by his side took out a red handkerchief and tied her hair back with it. "Might as well help," she said.

Jay hummed in question and Nya gave him a cheeky smile. "_The Bounty's _interior machinery hasn't been touched in weeks. If you want to finish by mid afternoon, then you're gonna need a little help. You don't mind, do you?"

There was a bright smile and a chuckle. "Team work makes the dream work, right?" he winked. He handed her some gloves and pointed over to the small cabinet under the main control panels. "Could you run some tests on the main controls and the audio system? And also make sure that the wires aren't twisted or chipped?"

With a quick nod, Nya lifted herself off the floor, after grabbing a couple tools, and traveled a bit to the left. She opened the two wooden doors and coughed a little as dust sped past her face. Jay failed to hide his laughter as she made a sour face. Shaking her head, she leaned into the small space and began her work, as did Jay.

As time went on, the blue clad hero found his eyes drifting from the mechanics of the ship to the woman on his left. Dark blue sapphires would lie hesitant on her working figure and then fixate themselves in an almost frustrated glare upon his hands. It was at this time that he realized he hadn't been working since Nya had arrived. Instead, Jay had been staring at the endless wires, trying to figure out what in his head he wanted to say. There were words that were begging to become understood in a formidable thought before they lied on his tongue. But that was not happening. The pressure and confusion in his buzzing mind pushed his frustration to unbearable levels. Tinkering would do nothing to alleviate this chagrin until a single word left his lips.

"Nya…" he said. It was her name only but it was enough to cause a reaction. The air was suddenly a lot less constricting. The skilled samurai stopped her work and fell back on her knees. His buzzing mind went rabid as his heart's pace quickened. Jay's eyes, that became bluer than the ocean on a Sunday afternoon, traveled up to meet wondering green eyes. Then suddenly, there was silence in his head. As he took in the black soot on her cheeks and around her right eyebrow, he could finally hear the creaking of the floor boards under their weight.

She hummed in question and his mouth moved to say something. Jay guessed it was to say this entire poem/apology/song he had planned out, but that had vanished within the midst of his lips.

"I'm sorry." There was a clank as she put the wrench down. "I'm sorry about what I said to you on the mountain. That was really stupid of me. Gosh, I don't even know where that came from. Jealousy can make a lot'a people do stupid things, huh?"

Although he feared that bringing up the sensitive topic would destroy the peaceful air between them, Jay had had enough. He was tired of pushing their trepidations to the side and ignoring their blaring alarms. It was unhealthy and exhausting. Confronting them was terrifying but relieving all the same.

Jay watched as she blinked once, twice, thrice. Suddenly, her cheeks got really red and he couldn't tell if it was embarrassment, shame, or a mixture of both. Her eyes casted down and she tapped her fingers—a nervous habit of hers.

"No Jay, I really should be the one apologizing," she softly admitted.

He shook his head with a nervous smile. "No, Nya—"

"Let me say this before I lose the courage…please" she pleaded. He couldn't deny her, especially not that look. "I-I have to apologize for…for everything. For the machine, for the stupid love triangle, for never hearing you out, for getting so frustrated at myself that I was unreasonable with you, and for letting my mind get in the way of my heart. Jay, I want you to know that you've been nothing but good to me and I've caused you so much pain. I'm sorry. I really am."

His first instinct was to deny her apology and claim the fault on himself. But something told him that was not the answer and that maybe he should just listen.

Nya sighed heavily and scrunched her eyes shut before letting out a wry laugh. "A-and I tend get ahead of myself from time to time and I have a bad habit of wanting everything at a certain time—always on my schedule. It was not fair of me to push you into asking me out. It was unreasonable of me to get angry at you for not being ready to be in a relationship."

"Wait what?"

Jay's fond smile dropped and Nya's heartfelt mood was cut into two.

"What?" she questioned.

Dark brown brows rose up and Jay had never looked so clueless in his life. "What do you mean ask you out? Why would I ask you out again? Aren't we already together?"

There was silence.

"What?" she repeated.

"I mean, at least _I thought_ we were together," he said.

She blinked once. "So, you mean we were together this entire time?" she steadily asked.

Now Jay was a little scared. Nya usually wasn't so forgetful. Eltanse was really messing with their heads. He glanced behind her head for a moment, giving her a weird look. "Uh…yeah. That's why I uh got mad when I thought you and Cole were flirting with each other."

A small chuckle left her lips. Then another. Then she held her stomach and started to laugh hysterically. "HAHAHA! All this time, I thought we weren't official! And you thought I was flirting with _Cole_!? Please!" she barked with laughter.

He stood on his feet so quickly he almost fell over. "Wait! You thought we—" his eyes widened dramatically. "Was _that_ what you were hinting to in the infirmary!? You wanted me to ask you out!? That was why you were so mad all of a sudden!? All this time I thought you had something against cherry pie!" he exclaimed.

"Are you kidding me!?" She got on her feet and smiled widely. "I love cherry pie!"

Everything suddenly made so much more sense and Jay had never seen such a beautiful sight in his life. He laughed loudly and ran up to her, lifting her up in his arms and spinning her around. The two laughed and laughed and laughed at how dumb they were.

Nya was set down on her feet but never left his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brightly asked, "Do you know what else I love?"

He made a thoughtful face. "Apple pie?"

"No you idiot! You!"

Jay had never kissed someone so hard in his life.

* * *

_**Chelsea **_

The young woman's head slowly dipped out from the crack and quietly closed the door to the control room. A small smile graced her lips and she turned to meet inquisitive emerald eyes.

"Maybe now's not such a good time to disturb them," Chelsea quietly said.

Cole cocked a brow. "Why not? They're gonna miss lunch—"

"Shh!" she harshly whispered. Her hands placed themselves on his back and pushed him down the hallway. "We can just put their plates in the fridge and they can eat when they're ready. It's okay."

Shrugging, the Master of Earth let it go. "Well okay. But the roast beef I made won't taste the same."

Even though making the lunch had really consisted of the Grey Ninja having to correct the man so much that she basically cooked, she let him have his pride. At least no one would have food poisoning this week. "True, but I don't think they'll mind."

"Why do you say that?" he asked much to her annoyance.

"You ask too many questions."

He gave her a look and nudged her playfully. "No, really, what were they doing?" He narrowed his eyes, his voice sounding like a disagreeing parent. "I hope it was nothing inappropriate."

Chelsea rolled her eyes. "No, no, no. They were just making up and smooching," she laughed, feeling a bit giddy from seeing the adorable scene.

Cole, once again, cocked his eyebrow. "Smooching?"

"Smooching," she confirmed.

"Speaking of smooching…" he started. Chelsea made a sound of surprise as she was twirled in her spot, forced to take in the tauntingly teasing smirk on the Black Ninja's face. "I think I remember a particular someone…_smooching _another someone in Hiyama City." Her mind brought her back to the past and she found her cheeks heating up under his gaze. So much had happened in such little time that everything was so blurred. There wasn't much time to really think or talk about anything that happened, but it seemed that Cole had found the perfect time much to her chary dismay. Not that she minded talking about the things that happened between them, it was just a bit embarrassing.

She really hated it when she acted like a bashful girl.

Chelsea let out a wary laugh and rubbed her arm. "What about it?"

His stupid smirk widened at her sudden change in attitude and it really ticked her off how she couldn't do anything about it. Sometimes, she just couldn't understand why her eyes made hearts at his handsome face. The rarely shown silliness and cockiness the team leader possessed could really disorient a person if they weren't prepared for it. As for the Grey Ninja, that masked side of him both annoyed her and dazzled her more than—

"It's cute when you get embarrassed," he chuckled.

Chelsea snorted loudly and ungracefully causing him to laugh. Her bashfulness vanished into thin air as she gave him a look of disbelief. "Cute? No, Lloyd's cute. I'm too old for cute. If that was your attempt at flirting, try again sweetheart."

"Alright then, how about this…" he challenged, grinning brazenly. "We're going on a date."

"When?" she said.

"Now."

"Now?"

"Yes."

"No."

She watched as challenging emeralds deflected and grew intense. The black clad hero crossed his arms and his lips thinned. "And why not?"

"Why now?" she shook her head. "Cole, there's too much going on. Another emerald has already been found. You need to rest. I think Lloyd's still a little down about the funeral and just about everything else, so I need to talk to him. And plus," she jutted her thumb to her back. "My back's still sore." She shrugged apologetically. "I feel like I'd drag us down if we went out to do something fun."

A thoughtful expression appeared on his face as he pondered upon her words. Chelsea let guilt slip through her barriers and sit upon her chest. She felt kind of bad as reflected back on her words. Maybe spitting out the world's problems wasn't the best way to deny a date, but she really hadn't thought of a better way to explain to him that suddenly frolicking around in flowers wasn't something to be done at this time. Granted, she would be ecstatic to go out on a date with him, even if it did consist of such a ridiculous task, but her better judgment told her she'd have to hold back her personal urges.

The muscular man bit his lip and looked around in thought. He blinked before speaking. "You're right. You're right. Then how about something simple?"

"What do you suggest?" she inquired.

He shrugged and intertwined their hands, their feet leisurely walking down the hall. "Anything you want to do. I just want to be in your company."

Cole really was a giant sweetheart behind his strict exterior. Chelsea smiled and pondered. Her eyes roamed the carefully designed walls of the _Bounty. _She then let her gaze wonder across the blue skies as they made their way off the ship and onto the monastery's front yard. Right in the middle of the courtyard, she gasped as her face brightened with an idea. Cole could only wonder quietly as she stared at his eyebrows with determination. The next question confused him dearly.

"Can I shape your eyebrows?" she asked excitedly.

He paused. "What?"

…

"Ow! That one really hurt," Cole winced.

The Grey Ninja scowled with both frustration and concentration. "You have to stop moving your face otherwise I'll mess up," she reprimanded. "These caterpillars on your face are hard to deal with, FYI."

She received a small grunt and kick to her shin for the sly comment. Chelsea held back her laugh and winked playfully at his irritated expression. For the past ten minutes or so, the shorter one had been hunched over the black clad hero. She tightly gripped the tweezers between her index finger and thumb. In order to get a good grip, she held his head back and moved away his bangs. The poor man had to deal with his neck bent in awkward positions as she steadily plucked the hairs out of his face—which really hurt by the way.

The feeling was completely foreign to him. Chelsea had finished one eye brow and went on to the other one. Unfortunately, his left side was a little more sensitive than his right causing him to jump at bit. The dark-skinned woman found it funny how someone so tough and sturdy had to grip the chair handles by his sides and continuously bite his bottom lip in order to keep quiet.

Cole hissed as she plucked a rather difficult hair. Chelsea made a sympathetic face as she moved herself in between his legs in order to view the bottom of his eyebrow. "I know it hurts, but it'll be worth it."

"I don't even know why I'm letting you do this to me. Guys don't do this," he complained.

"Kai and Jay do their eyebrows," she countered smugly.

"Zane and Lloyd don't."

She rolled her eyes. "Zane was created with those and Lloyd was just blessed with naturally good eyebrows. Have you noticed how long his eyelashes are too? Not fair," she shook her head.

The only response she got was a curt gruff. The Master of Shadows continued her work in silence. Despite enjoying the cringing expressions the man made, she hurried up with the process. It was obviously hurting him a lot and she was afraid the redness around his brows would permanently stay there.

After a while she found that both of them were humming to the song playing in the background. Soon enough, she was mouthing the words to the song while he tapped his foot and hummed to the beat. Chelsea plucked the last hair and pulled back. She held his face and admired her work.

He really was a good-looking man.

Dazzling emeralds peered through eyelids and Cole smiled quizzically. "So, how do I look?"

Oh yeah, devilishly handsome.

"Too beautiful to touch. I'm so good," she bragged, flicking her hair over her shoulder. The two shared a laugh and it was at this moment that the woman with ebony curls noticed his hands on her hips.

Cole suddenly stood up, causing her to fall back and somehow he used the momentum to twirl her. Catching his drift, she fell into a rhythm with him. It was quite random, but the two had just decided to dance around the room, twirling and bouncing about. Within the midst of their foolishness, they found their minds floating away from reality for a bit. Time had felt timeless and Chelsea's bedroom had turned into just a space of nothing. Questions would randomly pass through their lips and little by little, they grew closer.

"What's your favorite color?" she said she was walked around him.

He lifted her hand above her head and eyed her. "Orange. What's yours? And what kind of pasta do you like?"

As she pointed her feet, she chained into him. "Purple and penne with alfredo sauce. What's your favorite kind of movie?"

Cole dipped her, careful not to hurt her back. "Mystery and thrillers." He slowly brought her upright and kept her in his arms. He smiled warmly and pushed back hair strands from her face. Their breaths were a bit heavy, but all the same happy. He marveled in his current feelings. Whether it was happiness, giddiness, or amazement, he felt good. Very good. Cole hadn't realized when her hands had found his cheeks, but they did. He grabbed her hand as her thumbs ran over his brows. "What is it with you and my eyebrows?" he chastised, amused.

"They're just so nice!" she jived. Brown eyes became half-lidded with content. "And you're very beautiful man, Cole." Her voice was soft even as he was getting closer to her.

"Then I guess it's only right that a beautiful woman is at my side," he replied just as soft. The hand on her back brought her closer to him and he used her hand to pull her forward. Gently, she found their lips connected. Her eyes fell shut. The kiss was for a single moment but made their lips buzz with a brilliant afterglow.

* * *

_**Lloyd **_

Maybe it was Couple's Skip Lunch Day because, oh so coincidentally, there were four people missing at the lunch table and each of them happened to be in a relationship. Zane and Kai seemed quite unbothered and the latter kept making jokes, some more inappropriate than the others. The White Ninja had to eventually resort to physically clamping the red clad ninja's mouth shut with his hand. He muttered something about wanting to keep Lloyd's innocence for as long as possible, but his ears' virginity was lost a long long time ago.

Anyway, lunch was over quickly. They disbanded to their own activities. Despite knowing the Grey Ninja was busy with her boyfriend, Lloyd decided he would seek her out. Earlier this morning, she had told him that if he needed to talk he could come to her. With his mind filled with buzzing bees, he admitted that he would like to talk to her and they decided it would be after lunch and he held her up to the promise.

Although having a few days away from Eltanse and her soldiers was nice, the after affects of the events in Hiyama City still plagued him dearly.

Lloyd felt entirely at fault for what happened.

He should've known the red eyes meant something bad. He should've known. But instead, he fell into his naivety and led the team into the clutches of their worst nightmare. Jasper had easily played him. Now that he looked back, it was almost laughable how easily he fell into the trap. It just took a kind smile and something he wanted, and Lloyd was like pudding in his hands. Because of him, Jasper had succeeded in reaping havoc and almost won. If it weren't for his team's endurance and the unmatchable bravery of the protective forces, they would've lost. But many lives were sacrificed and the Green Ninja felt their blood on his hands.

If he didn't have his own room, he didn't know how he would've survived these past nights. He shed massive amounts of tears into his pillow, desperately trying to muffle his sobs. The guilt stood over him and laughed at him even more so. Its wicked teeth shined with brilliance as they sunk into his shoulder, clinging onto him throughout the day. There wasn't a single minute the young teen felt free of its horrendous grasp. It was a familiar foe in his life.

Lloyd tried his best to conceal the pain and he thought he was doing a pretty good job. So far, none of his brother-in-arms had noticed anything out of place. But, he had reason to believe the female counterparts of the team felt something amiss. There were multiple times Nya had suddenly tasked him with helping her around the monastery and she was a lot sillier when they were alone together. In addition to Chelsea's invitation to vent, she kept staring at him from time to time, worry drowning her features.

The stairs beneath his feet creaked. Lloyd picked up on the music coming from her room and wondered what she could be doing at this time. He went to her door and knocked. He assumed she couldn't hear him and decided to just open the door.

Without a problem, the wooden door swung open. The blonde teen admitted to himself that he would be a liar if he denied feeling a bit of frustration at the sight before him. Chelsea lied on her belly, on her bed, fully attentive to Cole's hand as he drew upon a piece of paper. He sat on his knees and drew on the small coffee table, seemingly very concentrated.

They hadn't noticed him until the doorknob hit the wall. Green and brown eyes blinked up at wide sapphires. Lloyd felt very naked under their gazes, embarrassment seeping within his cheeks. He looked down with a blush.

"I'm s-sorry. A-am I interrupting something?" he stuttered. Why was he acting so stupid?

"Lloyd!" Chelsea chirped happily. "Of course not. Is everything alright?"

He rubbed his arm. "Um…you guys m-missed lunch. It's in the fridge."

A loud growl came from the muscular man's stomach and he jumped to his feet. "Oh shoot! I totally forgot about lunch," Cole exclaimed. He looked down at the woman. "Let's hurry before it gets stale."

Something in Lloyd's chest tightened. He didn't mean to, but he sent her a pleading look, begging her to stay, just for a minute. He needed someone to talk to. He just needed to vent for a bit before he exploded.

Chelsea caught his eye. He kept in a sigh of relief as she gave Cole a warm smile. "You go. I'll meet you down in a little bit. I need to talk to Lloyd really quick."

The boy couldn't really see his leader's expression but he nodded and quietly left the room.

Lloyd watched the Earth Master's figure fade down the stairs. He jumped a bit as Chelsea was suddenly by him, closing the door and nodding her head to the bean bags by her bed. He nodded and put them out and they sat in their respective spots.

"Sorry about missing lunch. I totally forgot," she started.

He shook his head. "No, it's okay."

He couldn't meet her eyes for some reason and it made the silence unbearable. Maybe it was mistake coming here. He shouldn't have been so selfish and make her kick Cole out. But seeing them so content with each other just made him so upset because the same thing happened with Nya and Jay and soon enough he wouldn't have anyone to talk to and then he'd be alone again and—

"Lloyd?"

"Everything's my fault," he spit out.

Chelsea made a sound of disagreement. "No it's not."

Lloyd clenched his fists. "Yes it is," he said forcefully. "If I hadn't been so naïve and realized that he was playing us from the start, those people wouldn't have died." His scowl met her wide eyes. "Jasper was the one that told me of the emerald's whereabouts. I should've known Chelsea."

To his surprise, she frowned back. Her voice became stern and he felt himself whither under it. "Lloyd, stop it. It's not your fault. And no one could've known. All that matters is that we're one step closer to stopping the Shadow Kingdom from taking over."

"B-but you don't understand! I should've been suspicious from the start. 25 people died and more than 50 were injured. Hundreds of lives were at stake. We almost got killed. And-and your shoulder and back—"

"I said stop it Lloyd!" she shouted.

At that moment, Lloyd shut his mouth, doing as he was told. He clenched his eyes shut to keep the tears in and looked away. His body was shaking and his nose was really burning. The guilt had brought a friend, stupidity. They both laughed at him as he could only sit there in shame. Not only had he caused pain but he was making the woman in front of him angry. He should've just gone to his room after lunch. Her upset expression was too much to bear. He couldn't handle that too.

Lloyd moved to get up. He needed to get out of there. "Damn it. I-I'm sorry. I'll just—"

A couple of hands gently grasped his shoulders but he refused to look up until he felt her flick his ear. Lloyd sniffed and blinked at her wide eyes and almost horrified gaze.

"Lloyd, how long have you felt like this? This is serious. Feeling responsible for a death, especially 25, can really hurt you."

He took comfort in the palm cupping his cheek. The Green Ninja sighed, eyes watering. "Ever since we got back," he admitted quietly.

The look on Chelsea's face was beyond melancholy. What she said next hit a nerve in the growing boy. "I feel like you've felt like this for a lot longer," she countered, pulling him in for a warm hug. She rubbed his back soothingly as he sniffled. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

Even though his body was telling him to continue indulging in her comforting hug and paternal words, his brain told him he was being babied. And being babied was the last way to prove his worth, especially being so young. Lloyd had learned the tough way that the moment he allowed himself to resort to childish urges such as this, his equal status among those older than him would lower immediately.

Fearing someone would see, the blonde teen wiped his tears and pulled away, despite saddened about losing the warmth. "No," he shook his head. "It's alright. I feel a lot better now anyways. Thank you."

The wariness on her face told him she didn't believe him, but she relented. The Master of Shadow's thankfully let it go, refusing to push the matter. "Well, okay. If you say so," she sighed. Her eyes met his in a firm but encouraging look. "I know I smother you a lot, and act like a bossy mom from time to time, but just know that you can come to me whenever you need to. Please don't feel embarrassed, okay?"

Lloyd sniffed one last time before giving her a genuine smile, one so big that it hurt his cheeks. "Okay," he replied, actually feeling a lot better with the confirmation.

Chelsea returned the smile with a matching vigor.

* * *

_**A/N: Hope you liked this chapter as much as I did 3**_

_**~Sylvia-Ann~**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

_"Well this sucks."  
_

—Mitchell

* * *

Chapter 20

_**Lloyd **_

The week went faster than Lloyd would've liked, but a job was a job. No matter how much fun it was reading comics and eating candy all day, he couldn't save the world in his bedroom—unfortunately.

Taking the Bounty was declined considering his parents' place wasn't that far. That and they would have no idea where to put it because their monastery was near a literal _jungle_ (Lloyd still wonders why they thought that was a good idea). So it was decided that they'd just go by their elemental dragons. Before they left, Sensei Wu had told them he wouldn't be accompanying them for this trip. He said that he needed to meditate a bit more and wanted to keep an eye on the Ultra Dragon. The four-headed dragon's mood was still somber much to the ninja's worry, but their teacher told them not to think too much of it. If anything happened, he would call.

Sensei Wu's explanation seemed good enough for the others but Lloyd had a bad feeling jumping around in the pits of his stomach. Maybe it was just because he was his uncle, but Lloyd got the feeling that wasn't the only reason why he was staying behind. During their week of rest, his uncle had basically locked himself in his room, meditating for hours on end. There were days they'd have to remind him to eat. His friends told him that the past events had just taken a toll on him and meditating was his way of coping, but the young teen knew him well enough to know that their sensei wasn't just trying to clear his head. The bags and wariness under his eyes told him that instantly. Lloyd had plenty of time to talk about it, but he saw his uncle didn't so he refrained from bringing it up. He'd talk to him when they got back.

The flight there wasn't anything much. It was pretty much flown in silence except for the times Kai would dramatically warn Jay and Nya for being too close to each other (they rode together this time) and Jay would bite back just to spite the fiery ninja. Before an all out war would start, Nya would threaten them and, just like that, it was quiet again. The ride there wouldn't have been as boring as it was if he had company but Chelsea had chosen to ride with _Cole_.

Not that Lloyd had a problem with that. Not at all.

Anyways, they arrived by the time the morning sun was high above the clouds. They were greeted by his parents. Lloyd would admit that he was glad to see them after awhile. He even allowed his mom to kiss him on the cheeks just because it made her happy.

"I've heard my brother recruited another ninja," Garmadon started, his eyes landing on the girl he couldn't recognize.

The kunoichi timidly walked up to them and introduced herself politely. "Hi Sensei Garmadon, Mrs. Garmadon, I'm Chelsea Millard, the Shadow Ninja. It's a pleasure to meet you." She gave an awkward smile and a head bow afterwards and Lloyd tried to hide his laughter. He should've told her his parents, especially his dad, looked a lot scarier than they actually were.

Misako was the first to respond. She smiled kindly. "It's nice to meet you too. And please honey, call me Misako."

Garmadon gave her a warm look and shook her hand. "Welcome."

Before it got awkward, Lloyd walked up to them. "Mom, dad, you said that there was an emerald here. Have you located it?"

"Oh yeah, the damn headaches that thing causes. Sheesh!" Garmadon clicked his tongue.

Despite everyone else finding humor in it, his wife did not appreciate the language. Misako indiscreetly slapped his stomach, to which she earned a muffled '_oof'. _A happy smile filled her thin lips, as if nothing had happened, and she folded her hands together, ready to talk.

"Yes we have! Your father and I decided to do a little treasure hunt and luckily located the emerald!" she said.

Kai perked up. "Great, where is it?"

That was when her smile faltered. Confusion filtered the air as Garmadon and Misako gave each other worried looks. "That's the thing," the gray-haired woman sighed. "It's located in an ancient mausoleum."

"A masu-what?" he asked.

"A tomb."

"A tomb?"

"A tomb."

It was quiet before a certain Blue Jay's mouth went on a rampage. "Well that's just _great_!" Jay exclaimed sarcastically. He threw his hands in the air and rambled on. "Look at that guys! We get to search through a creepy, old, ancient, tomb probably set with flying bows, poisonous snakes, and flesh eating zombies that are probably going to eat us alive! Are you excited!? I'm excited!" he ended with stiff anger.

His outburst wasn't a surprise, so it was ignored. "Do you know how to get there?" Cole asked, taking the lead.

Misako waved her hand over. "Come. I have something to show you."

They were lead to the library and surrounded a small computer table. Misako retrieved a map from inside a drawer and smoothly spread it across the wood surface. The map looked fairly old and used, but the pictures on it were bright and clear. It displayed the inside of a large building seemingly made with clay and rock. There were pathways marked throughout the structure and a tomb at the top. Pictures of bows, trap doors, and other booby traps laced the pathways. It wasn't that big but the place was quite spacious.

_Guess Jay wasn't that far off._

"A long time ago, King Bornu ruled a small area of this land. During his rule, the village prospered greatly and they were quite wealthy. He was thought to be able to talk to the gods and ask for plentiful crops and such. So, as you can imagine, he was thought to be a demigod. When he died, he was buried with many valuable treasures. To keep crooks and thieves from stealing his possessions, he was built a great tomb set with traps. Hence, the map," Garmadon explained.

"This map here shows all the traps discovered…so far," Misako further elucidated.

Nya paled. "So far?" she inquired warily.

The elderly woman nodded her head firmly. "When archaeologists try to uproot Bornu's casket, they usually die. Those who are smart, and rather lucky, turn back and report the traps they've witnessed."

Lloyd felt he wasn't the only one that felt sick. Of course it was just their luck that the next emerald was in a tomb laced with booby traps. They couldn't ever catch a break.

"So as you can see, this will be a very dangerous expedition."

"I'll say," Kai scoffed. "But what can ya do?" he shrugged.

Misako perked up despite the heavy air. "But, that's why Garmadon and I have prepared things for all of you. We've spent the week going over all the traps and figuring out a way to go about them without harming yourselves."

"Now, we don't really know for sure, but we're assuming the emerald is where the king's casket is. If it's not there, the less traps you'll have to go through. But just in case, we have a detailed plan for the worst case scenarios," Garmadon said.

"Thank the Lord for your parents Lloyd," Jay dramatically sighed.

"Yes, without your assistance, I'm afraid our chances of reaching the emerald safely would have been very low. Below 15%," Zane added gratefully.

The room was immediately filled with collective spouts of gratitude afterward. The elderly couple tried to hide their blushes. "Your safety is our priority after all," the eldest Garmadon nodded. "And with the help of your emerald's powers, I'm certain you will be alright."

"He's right. If we come across anything we can't get out of, we can just teleport out of there. We've worked on it enough. Even though we haven't really tried teleporting all of us at once, if Jay could teleport three people with one emerald, then four emeralds should be more than enough," Chelsea said with a hopeful grin.

Slowly but surely, the fear and pressure weighing down on the Green Ninja's chest began to decrease. He took comfort in his team's reassuring smiles and attitudes. "I'm starting to feel a lot better about this," he sighed with relief.

"Don't worry that pretty blonde head of yours kid," Kai teased, ruffling Lloyd's hair much to his chagrin. "We've got this in the bag."

Garmadon chuckled at their shenanigans. He and his wife whipped out a couple of bags filled with supplies. "Now, let us discuss the plan so you can get started right away."

"Yes! We expect you guys to be back before dinner. I'm making alfredo pasta tonight and I'm expecting the pots to be empty!" Misako's sweet tone made the ninja and samurai fall comically.

Lloyd sighed. "Only my parents…"

…

"I hate bugs."

"We know Jay. This is the fifth time you've said it in the past five minutes," Nya grumbled.

The blue-clad ninja pouted and yelped as he a fly flew past his face. He was, again, about to complain about his disdain for six-legged creatures but a glare from the dark-haired girl glued his mouth shut.

Although the repeated comments were getting annoying, Lloyd couldn't help but agree. He had always liked the outdoors, and wasn't too squeamish when it came to bugs, but there were a lot of them out in the forest. A lot more than he was used to. He could tell his teammates were feeling the same way. His parents and Zane didn't seem to even notice the bugs and flies, Cole and Nya didn't seem too bothered, Kai was more irritated than scared, and Chelsea was a bit squeamish but quietly sucked it up. Lloyd tried his best not to pay attention to them and walk around the insects but he was getting a bit annoyed.

As they walked, Lloyd found his foot caught on a stubborn branch and felt himself topple over. He was able to catch himself luckily, but a pair of hands padded against his chest and back. Just as he was about to tell them he was just fine, he saw it was Chelsea. Lloyd felt his slight frown soften.

"You okay?" she asked lightly, retracting her hands.

He nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks!" he said even though she hadn't done much. But, it was all etiquette.

The kunoichi nodded and they walked on together. "You know, I would've thought walking around here would be easier for you since you're shorter," she "innocently" commented.

Lloyd took the jab to heart and gave her a glare of denial. Sure he was shorter than most everyone but he was only 15—16 in two months_._ It was pretty darn good that he was fifteen and the same height as Jay and Nya. Besides, his dad told him he got more of his side of the genes—and his dad was tall. Lloyd already had his fair share of mini panic attacks worrying about adopting his mother's small stature, but he already towered over her. So that was squashed. If anyone deserved the short jokes, it was Jay _not_ him.

"I'm not short, you're just freakishly tall," he retorted.

He enjoyed the way she bristled. Whether it was fake or not, it made him snicker. "Hey, I qualify to be a Victoria Secret model with this height. And I never said you were short, I just said you're shorter," she defended.

Lloyd put a fist to his chest. "A man's height is his pride."

She quirked a brow. "You're 15."

"And a man."

She rolled her eyes. "No you're not."

"That's not what your sister said."

Chelsea gaped at him. Lloyd gaped at himself.

Okay, in all honesty, he never meant for it to come out. It just did. Going to a private school for bad boys had really dirtied his mind. He knew more stuff at eight than he was supposed to, and the information stuck. So, out sprouted dirty jokes. Ever since he grew older, he was able to tame them. He could effectively choose when to keep it in his head and when to say them out loud, but for some reason this just popped out of his mouth. Usually, he would've brushed it off but the last time he made a dirty joke with a girl around, he was grounded. Nya hadn't been too happy with him.

Lloyd looked at Chelsea with a nervous expression. "Um…I uh—"

She laughed, snorting. "Did you just make a dirty joke?"

He didn't know how to respond to that other than with a crooked smile.

"And here I thought you were all innocent and pure," the Grey Ninja chuckled.

_You'd be surprised._

"I try to maintain that image. It's good for publicity," he humored her.

"Oh, I bet," Chelsea smiled. It got quiet for a little bit before she spoke again. "I'm actually kind of getting a bit nervous. Ancient tombs and trap doors aren't really up my alley."

"I think everyone is a bit shaken up. But I have a feeling we'll be alright. We always are in the end," Lloyd sympathized.

She nodded although it didn't seem like she was convinced. Lloyd was surprised that he really didn't have words to support her on. Maybe it was because he was really nervous (yet excited?) too. Nevertheless, there was no use trying to force words of encouragement. If they weren't genuine, what was the point? The dark-skinned woman had a knack for reading through him anyway.

"We're here!" Misako called.

The group stopped and viewed the ancient tomb. It was pretty big in real life. It was shaped like a flat pueblo, built with old grey stones and plaster. Weeds and vines circled around the structure and sprouted through the cracks. There wasn't much décor on the outside, just old and worn out yellow trimmings on the bottom and castle like windows without any glass. The overall atmosphere of the tomb's castle wasn't very welcoming and was actually a bit foreboding.

"This is it, huh?" Jay warily commented.

"Each of you have all your equipment and supplies, correct?" Garmadon said. They patted themselves down and nodded in affirmation. He hummed in satisfaction and handed the map over to his son. "Excellent. Remember to keep an eye out for any hidden traps. This tomb is infested with them and they're meant to exterminate you. Be quick and nimble. Get in there and get out. If this proves to be too difficult, or someone is severely hurt, turn back right away. We can think of another way to obtain the emerald. Better to leave empty handed than to leave with one less."

The heaviness of their expedition sat on their shoulders once again. Lloyd shifted on his feet uncomfortably. He quickly glanced at his teammates and saw their faces set with determination. He shook off his own nervousness. Even if he didn't feel confident, he could fake it till he did. "We'll get that emerald, don't worry," he declared.

His parents smiled at him with pride. "I'm sure you will son," Garmadon nodded.

Misako hugged him and kissed his cheek much to his displeasure. "Just be careful, alright? Try not to come back with more scars. I can't kiss all of them away."

"Mooooom," he whined, blushing furiously.

They laughed at the sweet sight. Misako finally let go of her son and turned to the rest of the heroic group. "That goes for all of you too. Stay safe. I expect to see all of you for supper."

"I wouldn't miss a pasta dinner for anything," Chelsea said.

"We'll be going now. We wish you luck, ninja," Garmadon said. The couple waved before disappearing back into the forest.

Now, it was just the seven of them with a set of supplies in their suits and a map. Lloyd exhaled out his worries. Sapphire eyes gleamed with purpose. "The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be out of here."

"Then let's go team," Cole ordered.

…

On the map, the beginning there had been nothing mark. It was a small portion of the path and they figured it was to give thieves a false sense of hope before hitting them with a face full of fireballs or something of the sorts. But the team had been walking for quite awhile and the first trap hadn't been set off.

"When is the big metal thingy gonna crush us already?" Kai grumbled.

It was safe to say they were starting to get anxious.

According to the map, there was supposed to be a ball of iron falling from the ceiling. Their necks craned upwards, eyes glued to the ceiling to look for the particular ball of iron, but they could only see the old stones and tree vines. There were supposed to look for the lack of light on the walls, telling them they were close.

"We're getting closer, but I'm not exactly sure," Lloyd said, eyeing the map.

"Keep a look out and just stay close," Cole spoke.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lloyd saw the Earth Master put a hand on Chelsea's back, indiscreetly pulling her closer to him. He whispered something to her and she waved him off, smiling in reassurance. Lloyd really didn't see why he was checking up on her considering she seemed completely fine at the moment, but he figured it was because they had just become a couple so _whatever._

_When is this stupid boulder supposed to come down? My neck hurts._ He grumbled in his head, toying and eyeing the map harder than he needed to. Unbeknownst to the Green Ninja, his pace increased a bit and he began to walk ahead of the group. With everyone too busy looking upwards, and Lloyd glaring at the map, nobody noticed him walk wayward.

Suddenly, there was a gasp and then someone screamed his name. Lloyd felt time slow down and his heart drop into his stomach as he looked up. A metal ball came hurtling at his face. There wasn't any time to think or move. He should've been able to get away on his own, but he was just so shocked to see it that his motor skills failed him. Lloyd should've been dead, but he was very much alive the next time he opened his eyes. And in that moment, he realized God had a very funny sense of irony.

Cole's arms and legs shook as he held the ball up. Even with his super-strength, the magnitude of the iron was ridiculously big. He wouldn't be able to hold it for too long. He gritted his teeth and panted, eyes squeezed shut in concentration. "Hurry a-and cross!" he commanded gruffly.

Without wasting any more time, they quickly ran to the other side of the boulder. Looking to see if the coast was clear, Cole tossed it aside with a big grunt. It landed with a dull, but deadly, thud and Lloyd reminded himself that he could've been a part of that sound if their leader hadn't been so quick to think.

Immediately dropping his stubborn attitude, Lloyd turned to the black-clad ninja with a look of remorse. "I'm sorry Cole. I shouldn't have been so distracted," he apologized. "Thank you."

"Not a problem, kid. You were just looking at the map, like you're supposed to," he smiled kindly. "Just be a little more careful next time."

"Right. So now that we've crossed the first one, the next traps are going to be much closer."

"What is next?" Zane asked.

Bright blues scanned the map. "Poisonous hematite gas," he answered. "And it's triggered by weight apparently."

"On the masks go," Kai said, putting the gas mask on his head. Everyone followed suit.

So, on they continued with their escapade. None of the emeralds were glowing, and it didn't seem like anyone was getting that grappling feeling that came with the proximity of their emerald, so the jewel was nowhere near them. Unfortunately, they had a long way to go and a lot more heart attacks before they'd reach their treasure.

The hematite gas had been triggered minutes after. It was a cloud of white powder and it took a while before they could kind of see in front of them. Even with the gas masks on, Misako and Garmadon told them to breathe as little as possible to minimize any chance of inhaling it. It irritated the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes which would eventually cause the deposition of lung tissue. Hematite powder was something you did not want in your body unless you preferred a slow and painful death.

"Grab onto each other and keep moving forward!" their leader directed. The group did as such and was easily able to navigate out of the cloud of powder. They walked a little more, making sure they were clear of the substance before considering taking their masks off. First, they had to clear any residue off their clothes, so they each used Spinjitzu. Chelsea still hadn't learned it yet, but Cole had her covered and held onto her as he spun. When they felt safe enough, they took their masks off.

Small coughs emitted through the air and the team looked alarmed as they watched the newest member cough into her hand.

"Did you inhale some of the powder!?" Nya worriedly exclaimed.

Chelsea swallowed, but continued to cough in her hand. She backed away a bit. "N-no!" she answered truthfully, waving them off. "I'm just a bit winded from holding my breath for so long." Her free hand went to lean on the wall so she could support herself. "Seriously, I'm—"

The same feeling Lloyd had with the boulder reared its ugly face again when the floor beneath the Shadow Ninja's feet disappeared.

"CHELSEA!"

The look of horror in her eyes chilled him to the bone. An ear-piercing scream tore through her lips as the floor swallowed her. This wasn't on the map! There was no indication of trap doors on this damn map. Lloyd had expected to hear the lack of her screaming, but found it had stopped abruptly. A multitude of worst case scenarios and dared himself to look.

She held onto a vine a couple feet below the gaping hole in the floor. But the thin vine couldn't hold her weight. It began to tear into two and creek. Chelsea looked down at the interminable darkness below her and let out a terrified gasp. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block it out. When the sound of the snapping vine reached her ears, she let out a cry. "Oh God, I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die," she whispered hoarsely, choking on tears.

"You're not gonna die. Just, hold onto the vine and don't let go!" Cole instructed, although he seemed panicked.

"Thank you for the wonderful advice!" she snapped.

Cole bit his lip. "Don't freak out!"

"What are we going to do!? The vine won't hold her for much longer!" Nya cried.

"The emerald!" Jay exclaimed. He ran over to the hole and stuck his head down it so he could see her. "Chels, use your emerald to teleport back up here!"

"O-okay," she said. But as she reached for the jewel in her pocket, the vine thinned even more. Chelsea froze and squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't! If I move, the vine will snap!" she

"It's okay, you don't need to hold it! Just clear your mind and think of the ground and teleport!"

Time was wasting and the old vine was looking like a thread. She shook her head, the tears leaking from her eyes. "I can't! I can't do it!" she exclaimed, fear taking over her body. "Someone help me!"

"Yes you can! You can do it! If you panic now, you won't be able to clear your mind," Kai replied desperately.

"I can't! I can't—"

And that's when the vine snapped.

She screamed so loud, so frighteningly, it sent shivers down Lloyd's spine. There were collective shouts but none of them helped her. Lloyd fell to the ground, holding the map daintily. His mind buzzed and his body went numb as he tried to register what had just happened.

"NO!" Cole roared and lunged into the hole himself, but Zane held him back. "Let go! Damn it, let me go!"

"Listen!" the white ninja shouted.

"What the hell do you mean listen!? Listen to her fall to her _death_!?"

Zane shook his head with a stern look on his face. "She's fine. I can hear her breathing."

It was like he told them that Santa Clause was real. But, Zane wasn't one to mess around. So, despite themselves, they listened and geared their ears towards the darkness. Lloyd didn't know if they would've ever been able to hear her breathe, but they definitely heard a voice and it was Chelsea's alright. They couldn't distinguish the words, but they didn't need that to be sure it was her voice.

"She's okay," he sighed, placing a hand on his heart.

"Pheww! You gave us quite the scare there, princess!" Kai called down.

They heard something, probably a mix between laughter and a sob, but the group wasn't too sure.

Cole swallowed loudly. He looked a bit dazed but relieved all the same. He blinked rapidly and shook his head. "Can you teleport back up here!?" he shouted.

This time, we heard words. "What!?"

"I said, can you teleport back up here!?" he repeated, louder.

"WHAT!?"

"TELEPORT!"

"I can't hear you but…same and I don't…in the middle… so I'll…there…and!"

Her words were lost to their ears, but luckily, Zane was able to catch them. "She said, 'I can't hear you but I'm going to teleport back outside. The walls look the same and I don't want to accidentally appear in the middle of a trap, so I'll just wait for you guys there. Stay safe and good luck.'"

The ninja and samurai nodded, agreeing that was probably the best course of action. Although they were reluctant to leave, they gathered their composures and said their goodbyes even though there was a slim chance she couldn't hear them. The remaining group walked on.

"And then there were six," Jay joked.

Cole jammed his heel on his foot and gave him an icy glare before walking off.

Jay yelped and held his foot. "Too soon?" he croaked.

* * *

_**First off, before I start apologizing...**_

_**HAPPY TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVERYONE! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS STORY HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2014!? I FEEL LIKE I JUST STARTED WRITING THIS YESTERDAY! **_

_**It's weird how 2016 went by so fast-but I'm glad it did because this year was the worst one yet.**_

_**Anyway, I'm really sorry I haven't updated in like 6 months. That's so bad. I've been so inactive because Junior year is a real bitch. I've been swamped with homework and projects. I've neglected all my other stories too which I'm really sad about :( But I try to work on them as much as I can because writing little stories like this really helps me relax ya feel?**_

_**Thank you guys for sticking with this! I'm working on the next chapter right now. Hopefully it'll be up soon. If I don't update before the end of the year, Happy Holidays and have a happy New Year!**_

_**God bless!**_


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